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Solar thermal

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Laser welding of solar thermal absorbers

Solar thermal generally refers to the conversion of solar energy, through solar thermal systems for example, into usable thermal energy.
Laser welding technology in solar technology is the economic and forward-looking technology for industrial mass production of solar thermal absorbers. The latest generation of the MiniTec laser welding machine (LSA) is used for increasingly broader applications in the production of full-surface absorbers for thermal flat collectors.

Solar thermal laser welding unit

With our worldwide leading laser welding technology, our customers are able to produce high-quality and durable connections with optimum heat transfer. In addition to very high process safety and reliability, our laser welding machine (LSA) is also characterised by its enormous flexibility, which enables it to be set up within a very short time and without a great deal of effort for welding all kinds of different customised products with tube diameter between 8 and 22 mm. By welding aluminium/copper absorbers, the LSA enables our customers to achieve efficient, safe and cost-effective absorber production, even in multi-shift operation.

The MiniTec LSA is a fully-automatic machine designed and built to state-of-the-art standards with modern CNC controls. This also allows customers to set their own configuration. Following brief instruction, your qualified personnel is able to program the controls themselves and to configure to your own wishes. This reduces unnecessary costs and effort. MiniTec offers its customers turnkey projects with application guarantee as well as a first-class service, including remote maintenance and online support.

Solar thermal laser welding unit
LSA technical data
  • Maximum absorber size: 1250 x 2500 mm
  • Tube size (outside diameter): from 8 mm to 22 mm
  • Welding rate: up to 25 m/min
  • Cycle time: from 60s to 120s for 2m2 absorber
  • Production safety: maximum precision (< 2‰ rejects in continuous production mode)
  • Materials: Cu/Cu; Cu/Al, Al/Al; steel/steel
  • Working environment: Laser class 1
  • Absorber materials: all customary products (Cu and Al) can be processed
  • Absorber type: Full surface / fins
  • Tube configuration: Parallel tube, serpentine and serpentine with collecting header
  • Operation: Graphic user interface with preprogrammed screens
Special equipment
  • Test equipment for testing the strength of the weld
  • Automatic change to welding 2 different tube diameters
  • Optical image capture for defects analysis
Laser welding - lower material stress

A pulsed laser melts and alloys small areas of tube and sheet. The precise laser beam heats the absorber in very controlled doses at the welding point only, as a result the heat-affected zone can be kept very small. The absorber layer remains intact.