Solar Collector Hermetic Vacuum Seal and Flexible Neck

To maintain the performance of the tubes over their lifetime, air from the environment must be kept out of the tubes. Vacuums are very difficult to maintain over long periods of time because most seals leak a tiny amount of air that over time builds up in the tube and increases its heat transfer. Thermomax has developed their hermetic seal over 20 years to make sure it does not leak any air into the tube. A hermetic seal is one where two materials are fused together with no gap with in them. In the case of this seal, it is glass and copper that are mated together. It may not seem difficult, but remember the extremes of temperature they system must operate in as well as all the environmental conditions the tubes must live in. Most other tubes on the market use a mechanical seal between the end plate and the glass. Mechanical seals in high vacuum will leak over time and not last the 25 years required by Thermomax.

The flexible neck is provided to make sure the hermetic seal is not loaded in extreme environmental conditions, such as high winds, as well as during installation. Most other tubes have a solid neck that can load and break this critical feature of the tube.

Thermomax hermetic seal – literally fusing metal and glass together as one

Chinese tube showing mechanical seal – metal plate and glass tube glued together

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• Solar Collector Hermetic Vacuum Seal and Flexible Neck

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