CA2466343A1 - Seasonal solar tracking concentrating collector - Google Patents
Seasonal solar tracking concentrating collector Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2466343A1 CA2466343A1 CA002466343A CA2466343A CA2466343A1 CA 2466343 A1 CA2466343 A1 CA 2466343A1 CA 002466343 A CA002466343 A CA 002466343A CA 2466343 A CA2466343 A CA 2466343A CA 2466343 A1 CA2466343 A1 CA 2466343A1
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- reflector
- truss
- essentially
- trusses
- guides
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03G6/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy
- F03G6/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with solar energy concentrating means
- F03G6/061—Parabolic linear or through concentrators
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03G—SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS; MECHANICAL-POWER PRODUCING DEVICES OR MECHANISMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR OR USING ENERGY SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03G6/00—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy
- F03G6/06—Devices for producing mechanical power from solar energy with solar energy concentrating means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S20/00—Solar heat collectors specially adapted for particular uses or environments
- F24S20/60—Solar heat collectors integrated in fixed constructions, e.g. in buildings
- F24S20/63—Solar heat collectors integrated in fixed constructions, e.g. in buildings in the form of windows
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S23/00—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors
- F24S23/70—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors
- F24S23/74—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors with trough-shaped or cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces
- F24S23/745—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors with trough-shaped or cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces flexible
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S30/00—Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules
- F24S30/40—Arrangements for moving or orienting solar heat collector modules for rotary movement
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02B10/00—Integration of renewable energy sources in buildings
- Y02B10/20—Solar thermal
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E10/46—Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E10/47—Mountings or tracking
Abstract
The present invention is a concentrating solar radiation collector that consists of a concentrator, ancillary reflectors, and an array of segmented absorbers. The invention contains reflectors and absorber arrays that are easily scaled to fit a wide range of window sizes. The assembly is designed to make use of inexpensive components in manufacturing.
The system is designed for efficient assembly, disassembly and storage. The reflectors and absorbers can be removed during periods when an alternate use of the window is desired. The present invention extends the use of environmentally controlled spaces, such as architectural glazed curtain walls, three-season solariums and glazed patios, to the full year.
The system is designed for efficient assembly, disassembly and storage. The reflectors and absorbers can be removed during periods when an alternate use of the window is desired. The present invention extends the use of environmentally controlled spaces, such as architectural glazed curtain walls, three-season solariums and glazed patios, to the full year.
Description
Disclosure Background and Introduction The performance of simple fixed flat panel solar collectors can be significantly reduced in the winter months due to excess parasitic losses to the surrounding environment and the low sun angles. Use of tracking trough and paraboliodal concentrators with moveable mirrors have lower losses but tend to be more complicated and have to deal with wind loading. The present invention employs a simple, fixed concentrating reflector with an array of thermally separate absorber segments. During operation, a heat transfer fluid is only routed to the absorber segments receiving sufficient energy to increase the tern perature of the heat transfer fluid. This can reduce the active absorber area to less than 20% of the area of a flat panel and is accompanied by a significant reduction in parasitic losses. The use of a fixed mirror and absorbers significantly reduces the structural complexity and costs associated with the tracking mirror systems.
The present invention falls into the class collectors of fixed mirror with tracking segmented absorbers but employs a mirror assembly that can be adjusted to fit a wide range of aperture sizes. These systems can produce significant energy conversion improvements over flat panel or non-tracking compound parabolic collector (CPC) solar collectors. The present invention is designed for, though not limited to, installation within existing structures to take advantage of vertical windows to collect solar energy primarily during winter months. The present design is also modular in nature such that a system or part of a system can be removed or relocated as the requirements for a given space char~;e. Possible applications that make use of all of these properties are glazed patios and three-season solariums where the system can be erected during the fall and winter months to collect he;it when the room is not used for other applications.
The present invention covers an immobile concentrating solar collector that can easily scale to fit existing aperture sizes. The invention includes designs for mirror assemblies that can easily adjust to fit existing apertures. One such design is a collapsible truss assembly wherein the shape of the curve created by the truss scales with the length of the curve.
Extendible truss structwes have been produced elsewhere; however, this current invention is unique in that the curve followed by selected points on the truss is reasonably scalable over a range of folding configurations. Another scalable design has a flexible mirror supported by a pair of shafts that are flexed to provide the near parabolic shape of the minor. In both cases, minor material such as a highly reflective aluminum sheet or aluminized film along with the 1 of 15 shafts or rails that shape the mirror can be cut to fit a .riven aperture size on site or at a retail location. Other options include segmented minors where the number of segments can be matched to the length of the mirror curve.
All of the mirror assemblies noted in the previous paragraph can be easily stored either for shipping or on site where the collectors are used sea>onally. The truss structures collapse to a small fraction of their unfolded size. Flexed shaft supports relax to a straight shaft with minimal cross-section. Film mirrors can be rolled for compact storage.
Segmented mirrors stack upon each other. Sheet minors can be placed against a wall. Some care must be taken to protect the reflective surfaces in the mirror elements but this adds little to the stored volume.
All of the noted mirror assemblies can be reduced to occupy volumes much less the volumes they occupy in their erected states.
The noted mirror assemblies can deviate from perfect parabolic trough shapes;
however, the coarse descretization of the focal region by the segmented absorbers in the present invention is more tolerant to minor imperfections than some of the more traditional trough solar concentrators with tracking minors. The combination of the noted mirror systems using segmented absorber solar collectors provide an inexpensive match for the efficient capture of solar radiation.
The present invention also makes allowances to reduce convective heat losses from the absorbers. A concentrating solar collector, with segmented absorbers installed behind a vertical window, can generate convective currents within the collector cavity. The present invention allows for individually glazed absorber segments to reduce heat loss from the absorber.
List of Figures The present invention will be further described according to the following figures, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a basic strut used in supporting an3 shaping the minor elements:
Figure 2 shows a universal strut that contains pairs of terminal pivot points for seven different scissors-pairs;
Figure 3 shows a scissors-pair made using a pair universal struts;
2of15 Figure 4 shows a set of three scissors-pairs of struts in a curved truss assembly with details for connecting the scissors-pairs and for defining the scalability of curves defined by points on the truss;
Figure 5 shows a truss consisting of seven scissors-pairs in an almost fully extended configuration;
Figure 6 shows a truss consisting of seven scissors-pairs in a partially folded configuration to illustrate the scalability of the curves;
Figure 7 shows an example of a guide that supports a reflective sheet or a flexed rail that supports the mirror along its curved shape;
Figure 8 shows a mirror assembly comprised of a pair of curved trusses, a reflective sheet and ancillary parts;
Figure 9 shows a two section mirror with three cLxved trusses with one truss common to both minors;
Figure 10 shows a mirror assembly comprised of a pair of flexed shafts and a reflective film mirror with battens for structural support Figure 11 shows a segmented mirror element;
Figure 12 shows a solar collector with fixed concentrating curved truss mirror and selectable segmented absorbers installed adjacent to an existing window;
Figure 13 shows an inverted version of the solar <;ollector with a curved truss supported primary curved mirror and a secondary mirror extending from the aperture towards the absorbers;
Figure 14 shows an array of absorber segments that are individually glazed;
Figure 15 shows calculated solar concentration levels for a range of sun angles and absorber locations;
3of15 Detailed Description This section contains more detailed descriptions of the solar collectors and mirror structures than the introduction using the items shown and detailed in the figures.
Figure 1 shows a basic strut used in supporting and shaping the mirror elements. The basic strut 100 contains a central pivot point 101 and a pair of terminal pivot points 102 and 103 located equidistant from the central pivot point 101. Tl~e basic strut may also include ancillary points 104 that play no role in the shape of the truss. The central and terminal pivot points typically do not lay along a single line. The angle between lines defined by the central pivot points and each of the terminal pivot points meet at a deviation angle 8.
The truss formed by the struts is typically made up of a number of struts with different deviation angles. Figure 2 shows a universal strut 110 with an number of pairs of terminal points 112a and 113x, 112b and 113b, 112c and 113c, 112d and 113d, 112e and 113e, 112f and I 13f, and 112g and 113g and a single central pivot point 111. All of the terminal pivot points are located the same distance from the central pivot points but the deviation angles are unique to each pair of terminal points. Some of the individual terminal pivot points are part of more ~~ one pair of terminal pivot points.
Figure 3 shows a scissors-pair 115 made using universal struts 110 and I 10'.
The primed number denotes the back strut in the assembly. The uni~~ersal struts are connected at the central pivot points 111 and I 11' and are allowed to rotate rela~:ive to each other.
The universal struts can be oriented with all terminal pivot points on strut 110 in line with their counterparts on strut 110' at the same time.
Figure 4 shows a set of three scissors-pairs 115a, 115b and 115c in a curved truss assembly 116. Each scissor-pair is connected to the adja~;ent scissors-pair through the same pair of terminal pivot points. Terminal pivot points 113a and 113a' in scissors-pair 115a connected to terminal pivot points 112b' and I 12b respectively in scissors-pair I I Sb.
Terminal pivot points 113b and 113b' in scissors-pair IlSb connected to terminal pivot points 112c' and 112c respectively in scissors-pair IlSc. The deviation anglers measured in the same sense for all struts, have the same sign when making a strut where there is no change in curve direction.
4of15 The truss resulting from the assembly in Figure ~l is a pair of rhombuses rA
and rB that are essentially identical and tilted relative to each other by the deviation angle 0b for the struts in the scissors-pair 115b common to the two rhombuses. The deviation angles are fixed and the use of identical rhombuses along the entire truss ensures that the distances between central pivot points in adjacent scissors-pairs are identical. This ensLres that the curve defined by the central pivot points scales to the length of the curve. This is true for any set of points that are translated by the same distance in the same direction from the central pivot points.
Figures 5 and 6 show a pair of identical seven scissors-pairs trusses in different folding configurations. In these figures, curves c5 and c6 follow the terminal pivot points on the concave side of the truss. The terminal pivot points are translated by the same distance from the central pivot points but the translation directions are not identical. Curves formed in this manner are not perfectly scalable to the length of the curve but they can be reasonably scalable over a large range of lxuss lengths. For the present invention, scalability is considered reasonable when the deviation of any point from its position in a perfectly scaled curved is less than 5% of the curve length. The curve through the germinal pivot points for the trusses in Figures 5 and 6 is reasonably scalable for truss length: ranging from the fully extended truss length to half of the fully extended truss length.
Figure 7 shows an example of a guide 140 that connects to the scissors-pair through hole 141. A series of guides support a reflective sheet or a flexed rail along its curved shape. The flexible rail is secured to the guide with holes 142, 143, 144 or 145.
Figure 8 shows a mirror assembly 150 comprised ~~f a pair of curved trusses 152 and 153, a pair of rails 154 and a reflective sheet 151. The trusses lay in parallel planes that are displaced laterally from each other by an amount slightly larger than the width of the reflective sheet. The minor surface is on the concave side of the reflective sheet. The reflective sheet is supported along the curves defined by the trusses via the rails.
Figwe 9 shows a two section mirror 160 with three curved trusses 162, 163 and 164 with one truss common to both mirror sections. The curve3 truss 163 shared by the two mirrors sections has flexible rails 165 on both sides of the truss to support the two reflective sheets 161.
In similar assemblies, a series ofN mirrors can be supported by N+1 txuss curves.
Figure 10 shows a reflector assembly 170 comprised of a pair of flexed shafts 172 and an aluminized film reflector sheet 171 with battens 173 for structural support.
The shafts i 72 are SoflS
flexed to near parabolic curves with bending moment:, applied by mounts, not shown, at the ends of the shafts. The battens 173 play a number of rolls in the assembly including:
maintaining the curved reflector profile between flexed shafts and providing lateral support to the flexed shafts. The battens may also be configured to provide a means for connecting the reflector to the shafts. Reflectors of this configuration can be rolled up for compact storage when not required.
Figure 11 shows a segmented mirror element 180. These are used in reflector configurations where the mirror is broken into a number of linear elements.
The mirror segment consists of a reflective portion 181 and a portion for interfacing with the mirror support structure 182. The interfacing portion has holes 184 for connecting ropes or cables used in hoisting the reflectors into place.
The volume occupied by the mirror made up of se;;mented mirror elements can be greatly reduced for storage or shipping purposes. Alternatively the mirror structure can be permanent and the mirror can be retracted when a different use of the aperture is required. The segmented reflector option may also have an economic benefit 'vhen the mirror is damaged and only damaged reflector segments need replacement.
Figure 12 shows a solar collector 190 with fixed concentrating mirror Z 91 supported by curved trusses 192 and an array of selectable segmented absorbers 195 installed adjacent to an existing window 194. The segmented absorbers 195 am insulated, not shown.
Direct sunlight entering the window is concentrated to a focal band para:!lel to the absorber segments. The focal band moves as the sun moves in the sky. The collector employs a series of actuators (not shown) to route heat transfer fluid to only those absorbers receiving sufficient amounts of sunlight.
The higher light intensities and reduced active absorber areas of the concentrating collector, shown in Figure 12, result in significant heat capture improvements over those for a flat panel of similar aperture area. This is especially true in winter months where cold outdoor ambient temperatures greatly increase the parasitic losses which are proportional to the surface area of the absorbers. Installing the collector adjacent to a vertical window also takes advantage of the low winter sun. The optical performance of the ;,ollector in Figure 12 is highest in the late autumn and early winter when low sun angles result in concentration ratios of at least 10x when averaged over a single absorber. The actual concentration values depend on the number of absorber segments and sun angle. A lOx concentration is achieved with eight absorber 6of15 segments and a southerly sun elevation of 25° for a south facing window in the northern hemisphere.
The collector in Figure 12 is easily erected within an existing structure to gather solar energy during autumn and winter months. This system can extend the use of a three-season solarium or glazed patio to the full year. The system can be modular where the mirror supports, reflective sheet and absorber assembly can be separated. This modular nature allows for fast assembly in the autumn. In the spring, the space is returned to its spring and summer use. The mirror can be disassembled for storage. The absorher section can be moved to a more convenient location to continue collecting energy in a f.at panel configuration.
The collector in Figure 12 can tolerate a moderate amount of primary minor imperfections. Concentration band broadening due to primary mirror curvature imperfections may result in illumination of additional absorber segments. Some concentration band broadening is inevitable, even with a perfect primary mirror. Sources include the angular width of the sun and the incident angle of direct sunlight relative to the optical axis of the fixed primary mirror. In cases where the extra broadening results in light covering extra absorber segments, the heat transfer fluid is routed to all illuminated absorber segments that mgt a threshold temperature. Some energy can be lost especially if there is so much broadening that no absorber segments are heated above threshold, but, provided that the concentration band broadening due to mirror imperfections is reasonable compared to that o~.'inevitable sources and the width of the absorber segments, the system is fairly tolerant to minor imperfections.
Figure 13 shows an inverted version of the solar collector 200 with curved trusses 201 supporting a primary curved mirror 201 and a secondary minor 207 extending from the edge of the aperture towards the absorbers. The performance of the inverted system typically peaks at times of year that differ from the peak times for the system in Figure 12. At a location of 45°
north latitude, the performance for the system in Figw-e 12 peaks in December and January while the performance for the inverted system with a 45' tilt in Figure 13 peaks in October and March.
Under the configuration shown in Figure 13, a significant fraction of the light with incidence angles almost parallel to the optical axis of the primary minor 201 is redirected by the secondary minor 207 to the absorber segments nearest the secondary mirror.
This extends the range of incidence angles that are concentrated to the absorber segments nearest the aperture.
The secondary mirror 197 can also be used in the vertica arrangement in F
figure 12.
7of15 Figure 13 shows a series of actuators 210 for controlling the flow of heat transfer fluid to different segments in the array of absorber segments 2U5. In Figure 13, each actuator controls the flow ofthe heat transfer fluid to a single absorber segment. Temperature sensors, not shown, measure the absorber and heat transfer fluid temperatures. The temperature values are compared and actuators are opened to permit the flow of heat transfer fluid to those absorber segments above some threshold temperature determined by the temperature of the stored heat transfer fluid.
Figure 14 shows an array of absorber segments a20 where the individual segments 222 are individually glazed 221. The individual glazing is used to reduce convective losses of the system. The added glazing reduces the thermal conta~~t between the absorbers and the main body of air in the cavity. Alternatively, the aperture c,~n be doubly glazed to isolate the cold external glazing from the collector cavity. The reduced ~ ;onvective losses with the extra glazing layer have to be weighed against the reduced light intensities that result from the non-ideal transmittance of the extra glazing layer.
Figure 15 shows the solar concentration levels fir a range of sun angles and absorber locations. The calculations were done for an eight sel;ment absorber with a vertical aperture as shown in Figures I2. The concentration is highest, from 8 to lOx insolance, between sun elevations of 20° and 30°. These angles correspond to noon sun elevations between the end of October and mid-February for a location at 45° north latitude. The concentration drops to around 4x at the autumn and spring equinox on September 21 and March 21 respectively when the noon sun is 45° above the horizon. The concentration drops below lx in the spring and summer months due to shading by the top of the reflector and increased reflectivity at the glazing surfaces due to high incidence angles.
The collector in Figures 12 can be erected such that the aperture is tilted from vertical.
This shifts the time of year when the system is at peak optical efficiency. A
tilt of 10° away from vertical will shift the peak efficiency to sun angles between 30°
and 40° with optimal performance in October and late February / early March The 10° tilted system has marginally poorer performance than the vertical system in Figures 1 ~! in December and January but the peak performance curve is generally broader than for the ~~ertical system. The broadened peak performance curve with tilted collectors can be useful in areas where typical heating requirements extend into March and April.
8of15 Various changes and variation in the preferred e~r~bodiment of the present invention have been described. Other modifications and embodimena of the present invention that are not presented here and are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
9of15
The present invention falls into the class collectors of fixed mirror with tracking segmented absorbers but employs a mirror assembly that can be adjusted to fit a wide range of aperture sizes. These systems can produce significant energy conversion improvements over flat panel or non-tracking compound parabolic collector (CPC) solar collectors. The present invention is designed for, though not limited to, installation within existing structures to take advantage of vertical windows to collect solar energy primarily during winter months. The present design is also modular in nature such that a system or part of a system can be removed or relocated as the requirements for a given space char~;e. Possible applications that make use of all of these properties are glazed patios and three-season solariums where the system can be erected during the fall and winter months to collect he;it when the room is not used for other applications.
The present invention covers an immobile concentrating solar collector that can easily scale to fit existing aperture sizes. The invention includes designs for mirror assemblies that can easily adjust to fit existing apertures. One such design is a collapsible truss assembly wherein the shape of the curve created by the truss scales with the length of the curve.
Extendible truss structwes have been produced elsewhere; however, this current invention is unique in that the curve followed by selected points on the truss is reasonably scalable over a range of folding configurations. Another scalable design has a flexible mirror supported by a pair of shafts that are flexed to provide the near parabolic shape of the minor. In both cases, minor material such as a highly reflective aluminum sheet or aluminized film along with the 1 of 15 shafts or rails that shape the mirror can be cut to fit a .riven aperture size on site or at a retail location. Other options include segmented minors where the number of segments can be matched to the length of the mirror curve.
All of the mirror assemblies noted in the previous paragraph can be easily stored either for shipping or on site where the collectors are used sea>onally. The truss structures collapse to a small fraction of their unfolded size. Flexed shaft supports relax to a straight shaft with minimal cross-section. Film mirrors can be rolled for compact storage.
Segmented mirrors stack upon each other. Sheet minors can be placed against a wall. Some care must be taken to protect the reflective surfaces in the mirror elements but this adds little to the stored volume.
All of the noted mirror assemblies can be reduced to occupy volumes much less the volumes they occupy in their erected states.
The noted mirror assemblies can deviate from perfect parabolic trough shapes;
however, the coarse descretization of the focal region by the segmented absorbers in the present invention is more tolerant to minor imperfections than some of the more traditional trough solar concentrators with tracking minors. The combination of the noted mirror systems using segmented absorber solar collectors provide an inexpensive match for the efficient capture of solar radiation.
The present invention also makes allowances to reduce convective heat losses from the absorbers. A concentrating solar collector, with segmented absorbers installed behind a vertical window, can generate convective currents within the collector cavity. The present invention allows for individually glazed absorber segments to reduce heat loss from the absorber.
List of Figures The present invention will be further described according to the following figures, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a basic strut used in supporting an3 shaping the minor elements:
Figure 2 shows a universal strut that contains pairs of terminal pivot points for seven different scissors-pairs;
Figure 3 shows a scissors-pair made using a pair universal struts;
2of15 Figure 4 shows a set of three scissors-pairs of struts in a curved truss assembly with details for connecting the scissors-pairs and for defining the scalability of curves defined by points on the truss;
Figure 5 shows a truss consisting of seven scissors-pairs in an almost fully extended configuration;
Figure 6 shows a truss consisting of seven scissors-pairs in a partially folded configuration to illustrate the scalability of the curves;
Figure 7 shows an example of a guide that supports a reflective sheet or a flexed rail that supports the mirror along its curved shape;
Figure 8 shows a mirror assembly comprised of a pair of curved trusses, a reflective sheet and ancillary parts;
Figure 9 shows a two section mirror with three cLxved trusses with one truss common to both minors;
Figure 10 shows a mirror assembly comprised of a pair of flexed shafts and a reflective film mirror with battens for structural support Figure 11 shows a segmented mirror element;
Figure 12 shows a solar collector with fixed concentrating curved truss mirror and selectable segmented absorbers installed adjacent to an existing window;
Figure 13 shows an inverted version of the solar <;ollector with a curved truss supported primary curved mirror and a secondary mirror extending from the aperture towards the absorbers;
Figure 14 shows an array of absorber segments that are individually glazed;
Figure 15 shows calculated solar concentration levels for a range of sun angles and absorber locations;
3of15 Detailed Description This section contains more detailed descriptions of the solar collectors and mirror structures than the introduction using the items shown and detailed in the figures.
Figure 1 shows a basic strut used in supporting and shaping the mirror elements. The basic strut 100 contains a central pivot point 101 and a pair of terminal pivot points 102 and 103 located equidistant from the central pivot point 101. Tl~e basic strut may also include ancillary points 104 that play no role in the shape of the truss. The central and terminal pivot points typically do not lay along a single line. The angle between lines defined by the central pivot points and each of the terminal pivot points meet at a deviation angle 8.
The truss formed by the struts is typically made up of a number of struts with different deviation angles. Figure 2 shows a universal strut 110 with an number of pairs of terminal points 112a and 113x, 112b and 113b, 112c and 113c, 112d and 113d, 112e and 113e, 112f and I 13f, and 112g and 113g and a single central pivot point 111. All of the terminal pivot points are located the same distance from the central pivot points but the deviation angles are unique to each pair of terminal points. Some of the individual terminal pivot points are part of more ~~ one pair of terminal pivot points.
Figure 3 shows a scissors-pair 115 made using universal struts 110 and I 10'.
The primed number denotes the back strut in the assembly. The uni~~ersal struts are connected at the central pivot points 111 and I 11' and are allowed to rotate rela~:ive to each other.
The universal struts can be oriented with all terminal pivot points on strut 110 in line with their counterparts on strut 110' at the same time.
Figure 4 shows a set of three scissors-pairs 115a, 115b and 115c in a curved truss assembly 116. Each scissor-pair is connected to the adja~;ent scissors-pair through the same pair of terminal pivot points. Terminal pivot points 113a and 113a' in scissors-pair 115a connected to terminal pivot points 112b' and I 12b respectively in scissors-pair I I Sb.
Terminal pivot points 113b and 113b' in scissors-pair IlSb connected to terminal pivot points 112c' and 112c respectively in scissors-pair IlSc. The deviation anglers measured in the same sense for all struts, have the same sign when making a strut where there is no change in curve direction.
4of15 The truss resulting from the assembly in Figure ~l is a pair of rhombuses rA
and rB that are essentially identical and tilted relative to each other by the deviation angle 0b for the struts in the scissors-pair 115b common to the two rhombuses. The deviation angles are fixed and the use of identical rhombuses along the entire truss ensures that the distances between central pivot points in adjacent scissors-pairs are identical. This ensLres that the curve defined by the central pivot points scales to the length of the curve. This is true for any set of points that are translated by the same distance in the same direction from the central pivot points.
Figures 5 and 6 show a pair of identical seven scissors-pairs trusses in different folding configurations. In these figures, curves c5 and c6 follow the terminal pivot points on the concave side of the truss. The terminal pivot points are translated by the same distance from the central pivot points but the translation directions are not identical. Curves formed in this manner are not perfectly scalable to the length of the curve but they can be reasonably scalable over a large range of lxuss lengths. For the present invention, scalability is considered reasonable when the deviation of any point from its position in a perfectly scaled curved is less than 5% of the curve length. The curve through the germinal pivot points for the trusses in Figures 5 and 6 is reasonably scalable for truss length: ranging from the fully extended truss length to half of the fully extended truss length.
Figure 7 shows an example of a guide 140 that connects to the scissors-pair through hole 141. A series of guides support a reflective sheet or a flexed rail along its curved shape. The flexible rail is secured to the guide with holes 142, 143, 144 or 145.
Figure 8 shows a mirror assembly 150 comprised ~~f a pair of curved trusses 152 and 153, a pair of rails 154 and a reflective sheet 151. The trusses lay in parallel planes that are displaced laterally from each other by an amount slightly larger than the width of the reflective sheet. The minor surface is on the concave side of the reflective sheet. The reflective sheet is supported along the curves defined by the trusses via the rails.
Figwe 9 shows a two section mirror 160 with three curved trusses 162, 163 and 164 with one truss common to both mirror sections. The curve3 truss 163 shared by the two mirrors sections has flexible rails 165 on both sides of the truss to support the two reflective sheets 161.
In similar assemblies, a series ofN mirrors can be supported by N+1 txuss curves.
Figure 10 shows a reflector assembly 170 comprised of a pair of flexed shafts 172 and an aluminized film reflector sheet 171 with battens 173 for structural support.
The shafts i 72 are SoflS
flexed to near parabolic curves with bending moment:, applied by mounts, not shown, at the ends of the shafts. The battens 173 play a number of rolls in the assembly including:
maintaining the curved reflector profile between flexed shafts and providing lateral support to the flexed shafts. The battens may also be configured to provide a means for connecting the reflector to the shafts. Reflectors of this configuration can be rolled up for compact storage when not required.
Figure 11 shows a segmented mirror element 180. These are used in reflector configurations where the mirror is broken into a number of linear elements.
The mirror segment consists of a reflective portion 181 and a portion for interfacing with the mirror support structure 182. The interfacing portion has holes 184 for connecting ropes or cables used in hoisting the reflectors into place.
The volume occupied by the mirror made up of se;;mented mirror elements can be greatly reduced for storage or shipping purposes. Alternatively the mirror structure can be permanent and the mirror can be retracted when a different use of the aperture is required. The segmented reflector option may also have an economic benefit 'vhen the mirror is damaged and only damaged reflector segments need replacement.
Figure 12 shows a solar collector 190 with fixed concentrating mirror Z 91 supported by curved trusses 192 and an array of selectable segmented absorbers 195 installed adjacent to an existing window 194. The segmented absorbers 195 am insulated, not shown.
Direct sunlight entering the window is concentrated to a focal band para:!lel to the absorber segments. The focal band moves as the sun moves in the sky. The collector employs a series of actuators (not shown) to route heat transfer fluid to only those absorbers receiving sufficient amounts of sunlight.
The higher light intensities and reduced active absorber areas of the concentrating collector, shown in Figure 12, result in significant heat capture improvements over those for a flat panel of similar aperture area. This is especially true in winter months where cold outdoor ambient temperatures greatly increase the parasitic losses which are proportional to the surface area of the absorbers. Installing the collector adjacent to a vertical window also takes advantage of the low winter sun. The optical performance of the ;,ollector in Figure 12 is highest in the late autumn and early winter when low sun angles result in concentration ratios of at least 10x when averaged over a single absorber. The actual concentration values depend on the number of absorber segments and sun angle. A lOx concentration is achieved with eight absorber 6of15 segments and a southerly sun elevation of 25° for a south facing window in the northern hemisphere.
The collector in Figure 12 is easily erected within an existing structure to gather solar energy during autumn and winter months. This system can extend the use of a three-season solarium or glazed patio to the full year. The system can be modular where the mirror supports, reflective sheet and absorber assembly can be separated. This modular nature allows for fast assembly in the autumn. In the spring, the space is returned to its spring and summer use. The mirror can be disassembled for storage. The absorher section can be moved to a more convenient location to continue collecting energy in a f.at panel configuration.
The collector in Figure 12 can tolerate a moderate amount of primary minor imperfections. Concentration band broadening due to primary mirror curvature imperfections may result in illumination of additional absorber segments. Some concentration band broadening is inevitable, even with a perfect primary mirror. Sources include the angular width of the sun and the incident angle of direct sunlight relative to the optical axis of the fixed primary mirror. In cases where the extra broadening results in light covering extra absorber segments, the heat transfer fluid is routed to all illuminated absorber segments that mgt a threshold temperature. Some energy can be lost especially if there is so much broadening that no absorber segments are heated above threshold, but, provided that the concentration band broadening due to mirror imperfections is reasonable compared to that o~.'inevitable sources and the width of the absorber segments, the system is fairly tolerant to minor imperfections.
Figure 13 shows an inverted version of the solar collector 200 with curved trusses 201 supporting a primary curved mirror 201 and a secondary minor 207 extending from the edge of the aperture towards the absorbers. The performance of the inverted system typically peaks at times of year that differ from the peak times for the system in Figure 12. At a location of 45°
north latitude, the performance for the system in Figw-e 12 peaks in December and January while the performance for the inverted system with a 45' tilt in Figure 13 peaks in October and March.
Under the configuration shown in Figure 13, a significant fraction of the light with incidence angles almost parallel to the optical axis of the primary minor 201 is redirected by the secondary minor 207 to the absorber segments nearest the secondary mirror.
This extends the range of incidence angles that are concentrated to the absorber segments nearest the aperture.
The secondary mirror 197 can also be used in the vertica arrangement in F
figure 12.
7of15 Figure 13 shows a series of actuators 210 for controlling the flow of heat transfer fluid to different segments in the array of absorber segments 2U5. In Figure 13, each actuator controls the flow ofthe heat transfer fluid to a single absorber segment. Temperature sensors, not shown, measure the absorber and heat transfer fluid temperatures. The temperature values are compared and actuators are opened to permit the flow of heat transfer fluid to those absorber segments above some threshold temperature determined by the temperature of the stored heat transfer fluid.
Figure 14 shows an array of absorber segments a20 where the individual segments 222 are individually glazed 221. The individual glazing is used to reduce convective losses of the system. The added glazing reduces the thermal conta~~t between the absorbers and the main body of air in the cavity. Alternatively, the aperture c,~n be doubly glazed to isolate the cold external glazing from the collector cavity. The reduced ~ ;onvective losses with the extra glazing layer have to be weighed against the reduced light intensities that result from the non-ideal transmittance of the extra glazing layer.
Figure 15 shows the solar concentration levels fir a range of sun angles and absorber locations. The calculations were done for an eight sel;ment absorber with a vertical aperture as shown in Figures I2. The concentration is highest, from 8 to lOx insolance, between sun elevations of 20° and 30°. These angles correspond to noon sun elevations between the end of October and mid-February for a location at 45° north latitude. The concentration drops to around 4x at the autumn and spring equinox on September 21 and March 21 respectively when the noon sun is 45° above the horizon. The concentration drops below lx in the spring and summer months due to shading by the top of the reflector and increased reflectivity at the glazing surfaces due to high incidence angles.
The collector in Figures 12 can be erected such that the aperture is tilted from vertical.
This shifts the time of year when the system is at peak optical efficiency. A
tilt of 10° away from vertical will shift the peak efficiency to sun angles between 30°
and 40° with optimal performance in October and late February / early March The 10° tilted system has marginally poorer performance than the vertical system in Figures 1 ~! in December and January but the peak performance curve is generally broader than for the ~~ertical system. The broadened peak performance curve with tilted collectors can be useful in areas where typical heating requirements extend into March and April.
8of15 Various changes and variation in the preferred e~r~bodiment of the present invention have been described. Other modifications and embodimena of the present invention that are not presented here and are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art are within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
9of15
Claims (16)
1) A truss structure comprising:
at least two scissor-pairs, each scissors-pair comprising:
two essentially identical rigid struts, each comprising a central and a pair of terminal pivot points, with the central pivot point essentially equidistant from the terminal pivot points and lines joining the terminal pivot points to the central pivot point intersect at the central pivot point with a deviation angle between the two lines, and each strut being pivotally joined to the other of its pair by their central pivot points to form a scissors-pair;
each scissors-pair being pivotally joined by two terminal pivot points to two terminal pivot point on an adjacent scissors-pair with both scissors-pairs essentially in the same plane;
a truss is thus formed of scissors-pairs that can be folded and unfolded, and the distances between the central pivot points and terminal pivot points are essentially identical on all struts within the truss, and the deviation angles for the scissors-pairs are varied such that the central pivot points lie at essentially equally spaced locations along a desired curve, a curve, defined by points on the truss at the same position relative to the central pivot point on all scissors-pairs, that is reasonably scalable with the height of the curve, such that all points deviate from the points of a perfectly scaled curve by less than 5% of the total curve length, over a range of extensions that includes the partially extended truss to the fully extended truss where the partially extended truss length is less than half the fully extended length.
at least two scissor-pairs, each scissors-pair comprising:
two essentially identical rigid struts, each comprising a central and a pair of terminal pivot points, with the central pivot point essentially equidistant from the terminal pivot points and lines joining the terminal pivot points to the central pivot point intersect at the central pivot point with a deviation angle between the two lines, and each strut being pivotally joined to the other of its pair by their central pivot points to form a scissors-pair;
each scissors-pair being pivotally joined by two terminal pivot points to two terminal pivot point on an adjacent scissors-pair with both scissors-pairs essentially in the same plane;
a truss is thus formed of scissors-pairs that can be folded and unfolded, and the distances between the central pivot points and terminal pivot points are essentially identical on all struts within the truss, and the deviation angles for the scissors-pairs are varied such that the central pivot points lie at essentially equally spaced locations along a desired curve, a curve, defined by points on the truss at the same position relative to the central pivot point on all scissors-pairs, that is reasonably scalable with the height of the curve, such that all points deviate from the points of a perfectly scaled curve by less than 5% of the total curve length, over a range of extensions that includes the partially extended truss to the fully extended truss where the partially extended truss length is less than half the fully extended length.
2) A truss assembly according to claim of 1 where individual struts contain multiple pairs of terminal pivot points with different deviation angles.
3) A scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflector comprising:
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and the reflector formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material with the linear sides of the reflector secured between the trusses near the ends of the trusses, and with the reflector in contact with the guides such that the reflector has a shape that essentially follows the curves defined by the guides.
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and the reflector formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material with the linear sides of the reflector secured between the trusses near the ends of the trusses, and with the reflector in contact with the guides such that the reflector has a shape that essentially follows the curves defined by the guides.
4) A scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflector, comprising:
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the guides on each truss and width that is less than 5% of the separation of the trusses, each rail fixed to the guides on a truss such that the rail essentially follows the curve defined by the guides; and the reflector formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material with the linear sides of the reflector secured between the trusses near the ends of the trusses, and with the reflector in contact with the rails such that the reflector has a shape that essentially follows the curves defined by the rails.
5) A scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflector, comprising:
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the terminal points on the concave side of the trusses and width that is less than
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the guides on each truss and width that is less than 5% of the separation of the trusses, each rail fixed to the guides on a truss such that the rail essentially follows the curve defined by the guides; and the reflector formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material with the linear sides of the reflector secured between the trusses near the ends of the trusses, and with the reflector in contact with the rails such that the reflector has a shape that essentially follows the curves defined by the rails.
5) A scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflector, comprising:
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the terminal points on the concave side of the trusses and width that is less than
5% of the separation of the trusses, fixed to the trusses near the terminal points such that the rails essentially follows the curves defined by the terminal points; and the reflector formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material with the linear sides of the reflector secured between the trusses near the end of the trusses, and with the reflector in contact with the rails such that the reflector has a shape that essentially follows the curves defined by the rails.
A scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflector, comprising:
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the guides on each truss and width that is less than 5% of the separation of the trusses, each rail fixed to the guides on a truss such that the rail essentially follows the curve defined by the guides; and the reflector is formed with a set of linear segments of reflective material that lie in strips spanning the space between the rails, with each strip connected to adjacent strips and the rails, and such that the strips follow the curvature of the rails in a piece-wise manner when extended and the strips stack to a compact stowed position when retracted; and a means for extending and retracting the mirror segments.
a pair of essentially identical trusses according to claim 1 or 2 unfolded to essentially the same length and displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes;
a multiplicity of guides fixed to all scissors-pairs on each truss, such that the guides lie along curves that are reasonably scalable with the truss length over a range of folding and unfolding positions of the truss, with the guides laying along essentially identical curves for both trusses; and a pair of rails of flexible material, each rail of dimensions similar to the length of the curve defined by the guides on each truss and width that is less than 5% of the separation of the trusses, each rail fixed to the guides on a truss such that the rail essentially follows the curve defined by the guides; and the reflector is formed with a set of linear segments of reflective material that lie in strips spanning the space between the rails, with each strip connected to adjacent strips and the rails, and such that the strips follow the curvature of the rails in a piece-wise manner when extended and the strips stack to a compact stowed position when retracted; and a means for extending and retracting the mirror segments.
7) A series of scalable asymmetric-parabola trough reflectors, comprising:
a multiplicity of reflectors in claims 3, 4, 5, and 6 wherein adjacent reflectors share a single truss at their common edge; and the shared truss has means for supporting the reflectors on both sides of the truss.
a multiplicity of reflectors in claims 3, 4, 5, and 6 wherein adjacent reflectors share a single truss at their common edge; and the shared truss has means for supporting the reflectors on both sides of the truss.
8) A trough-like curved reflector with essentially asymmetric-parabola cross-section, comprising:
a pair of shafts, wherein the shafts are fixed at both ends and flexed to form essentially identical and essentially asymmetric-parabola sections that are displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes; and the reflector is formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material guided by to the shafts, with a shape that essentially follows the curvature of the shafts, spanning the space between the shafts with linear sides of the reflector perpendicular to the flexed curvature of the shafts, and secured along the lengths of the shafts.
a pair of shafts, wherein the shafts are fixed at both ends and flexed to form essentially identical and essentially asymmetric-parabola sections that are displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes; and the reflector is formed from a sheet of flexible reflective material guided by to the shafts, with a shape that essentially follows the curvature of the shafts, spanning the space between the shafts with linear sides of the reflector perpendicular to the flexed curvature of the shafts, and secured along the lengths of the shafts.
9) A trough-like curved reflector with an essentially asymmetric-parabolic cross-section;
comprising:
a pair of shafts, wherein the shafts are fixed at both ends and flexed to form essentially identical and essentially asymmetric-parabola sections that are displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes; and the reflector is formed with a set of linear segments of reflective material that lie in strips spanning the space between the shafts, with each strip connected to adjacent strips and the shafts, and such that the strips follow the curvature of the shafts in a piece-wise manner when extended and the strips stack to a compact stowed position when retracted, and a means for extending and retracting the reflector segments.
comprising:
a pair of shafts, wherein the shafts are fixed at both ends and flexed to form essentially identical and essentially asymmetric-parabola sections that are displaced laterally from each other in essentially parallel planes; and the reflector is formed with a set of linear segments of reflective material that lie in strips spanning the space between the shafts, with each strip connected to adjacent strips and the shafts, and such that the strips follow the curvature of the shafts in a piece-wise manner when extended and the strips stack to a compact stowed position when retracted, and a means for extending and retracting the reflector segments.
10) A reflector according to claim 3, 4, 5, 7 or 8 where the reflective sheet contains battens that span the distance between the two trusses or shafts to support to the reflector
11) A reflector in claim 10 where the battens perform the additional function of connecting the reflector to the means of support.
12) An fixed concentrating solar radiation collector system of the reflecting type, comprising:
an asymmetric-parabola trough primary reflector according to claim 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 which can be reasonably scaled in the plane of the curve, forming a curved reflector where the leading edge of the reflector is abutted to and parallel with one edge of the frame of the aperture, where the reflector extends away from the first edge of the aperture and terminates at a depth behind the aperture, the reflector and depth to which it extends concentrates light entering the aperture to a linear focal band that is projected onto the plane that lies between and parallel to the terminal end of the reflector and the second edge of the aperture opposite the first edge, where the position of the focal band between the second edge of the aperture and the terminating end of the reflector moves with the incident sun angle;
a multiplicity of thermally separate absorber segments that extend out from the terminal edge of the primary reflector and extending generally towards the second edge of the aperture or towards the knee wall just below the second edge of the aperture, with each absorber segment running essentially parallel to the linear edge of the primary reflector such that the focal band of direct sunlight concentrated by the primary reflector illuminates a subset of the absorber segments;
each absorber segment having means for converting sunlight to heat and conveying heat to a heat transfer fluid that flows through a conduit within said absorber;
control means to selectively route heat transfer fluid to absorber segments that meet temperature requirements; and a means for insulating the non-illuminated side of the absorber segments,
an asymmetric-parabola trough primary reflector according to claim 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 which can be reasonably scaled in the plane of the curve, forming a curved reflector where the leading edge of the reflector is abutted to and parallel with one edge of the frame of the aperture, where the reflector extends away from the first edge of the aperture and terminates at a depth behind the aperture, the reflector and depth to which it extends concentrates light entering the aperture to a linear focal band that is projected onto the plane that lies between and parallel to the terminal end of the reflector and the second edge of the aperture opposite the first edge, where the position of the focal band between the second edge of the aperture and the terminating end of the reflector moves with the incident sun angle;
a multiplicity of thermally separate absorber segments that extend out from the terminal edge of the primary reflector and extending generally towards the second edge of the aperture or towards the knee wall just below the second edge of the aperture, with each absorber segment running essentially parallel to the linear edge of the primary reflector such that the focal band of direct sunlight concentrated by the primary reflector illuminates a subset of the absorber segments;
each absorber segment having means for converting sunlight to heat and conveying heat to a heat transfer fluid that flows through a conduit within said absorber;
control means to selectively route heat transfer fluid to absorber segments that meet temperature requirements; and a means for insulating the non-illuminated side of the absorber segments,
13) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claim 12 wherein:
a secondary reflector is placed along the edge of absorbers nearest the aperture with the reflective surface of the secondary reflector essentially facing the portion of the larger primary reflector near the absorber sections or facing the absorber sections near to the primary reflector.
a secondary reflector is placed along the edge of absorbers nearest the aperture with the reflective surface of the secondary reflector essentially facing the portion of the larger primary reflector near the absorber sections or facing the absorber sections near to the primary reflector.
14) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12 or 13 wherein a mounting location for the reflector support is incorporated into the absorber assembly.
15) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12, 13, or 14 in which the system is sized to fit an existing aperture.
16) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12, 13, 14, or 15 in which each segmented absorber is enclosed in an radiation transmitting cover.
17) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12, 13, 14, 15, or
16) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12, 13, 14, or 15 in which each segmented absorber is enclosed in an radiation transmitting cover.
17) A concentrating solar radiation collector system according to claims 12, 13, 14, 15, or
16 in which the reflector and absorber assembly are modular in that they can be installed independently of the other components.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002466343A CA2466343A1 (en) | 2004-05-12 | 2004-05-12 | Seasonal solar tracking concentrating collector |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002466343A CA2466343A1 (en) | 2004-05-12 | 2004-05-12 | Seasonal solar tracking concentrating collector |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2466343A1 true CA2466343A1 (en) | 2005-11-12 |
Family
ID=35452031
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002466343A Abandoned CA2466343A1 (en) | 2004-05-12 | 2004-05-12 | Seasonal solar tracking concentrating collector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2466343A1 (en) |
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013085001A1 (en) * | 2011-12-06 | 2013-06-13 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Solar heat collection device |
| CN108196593A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-06-22 | 曹云霞 | A kind of household drying device |
| CN108362017A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-03 | 曹云霞 | A kind of solar panels Automatic adjustment method |
| CN108400768A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-14 | 曹云霞 | Solar panels adjusting method |
| CN108469125A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-31 | 曹云霞 | A kind of solar water heater method of adjustment |
| CN108489121A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-09-04 | 曹云霞 | Solar water heater method of adjustment |
| CN108547121A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-09-18 | 曹云霞 | The control method of household drying device |
-
2004
- 2004-05-12 CA CA002466343A patent/CA2466343A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2013085001A1 (en) * | 2011-12-06 | 2013-06-13 | トヨタ自動車株式会社 | Solar heat collection device |
| JP2013119971A (en) * | 2011-12-06 | 2013-06-17 | Toyota Industries Corp | Solar heat collector |
| CN108196593A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-06-22 | 曹云霞 | A kind of household drying device |
| CN108362017A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-03 | 曹云霞 | A kind of solar panels Automatic adjustment method |
| CN108400768A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-14 | 曹云霞 | Solar panels adjusting method |
| CN108469125A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-08-31 | 曹云霞 | A kind of solar water heater method of adjustment |
| CN108489121A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-09-04 | 曹云霞 | Solar water heater method of adjustment |
| CN108547121A (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2018-09-18 | 曹云霞 | The control method of household drying device |
| CN108469125B (en) * | 2018-03-21 | 2020-08-07 | 台州市奥金电器股份有限公司 | Solar water heater adjusting method |
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