Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B19/00—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics
  • G02B19/0033—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use
• • 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
• • 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
  • F24S23/80—Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors with reflectors having discontinuous faces
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B19/00—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics
  • G02B19/0004—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the optical means employed
  • G02B19/0019—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the optical means employed having reflective surfaces only (e.g. louvre systems, systems with multiple planar reflectors)
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B19/00—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics
  • G02B19/0033—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use
  • G02B19/0038—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use for use with ambient light
  • G02B19/0042—Condensers, e.g. light collectors or similar non-imaging optics characterised by the use for use with ambient light for use with direct solar radiation
• • 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
  • F24S2023/87—Reflectors layout
  • F24S2023/874—Reflectors formed by assemblies of adjacent similar reflective facets
• • 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

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to solar energy concentration, optics, and power systems, and more specifically to a reflecting photonic concentrator system using a heliostatic array.
• the width of the pipe does not require a significant depth to achieve reasonable concentration levels.
• the width of a horizontally oriented photovoltaic cell requires significant depth but still achieves geometric concentration of less than three (3x), the theoretical maximum for the aperture width of a parabolic trough over the PV width, because the tangent of the reflectively incident angle on the PV approaches infinity using this geometry.
• the present invention is a linearly reflecting trough concentrator with asymmetrical geometry that realizes 7x geometric concentration with trough depth comparable to prior art parabolic trough concentrators.
• the concentrator assembly of the present invention requires less depth to provide a lower profile device that more readily integrates with building applications and that is more compact for space applications, e.g. satellite solar power.
• the concentrator assembly evenly distributes reflected energy to avoid the creation of "hot spots" on the target concentration areas that are oriented in a vertical or near vertical plane.
• the assembly may be scaled to allow greater degrees of concentration by increasing the width of the concentration area without significantly increasing the depth.
• Figure 1 shows the reflection path of light from a heliostatic array of the present invention onto two opposing target areas.
• Figure 2 shows a reflection path of light from a heliostatic array and reflecting projector of the present invention onto one target area.
• Figure 3 shows a side view and ray-trace diagram of reflective concentrator with faceted, non-imaging heliostat.
• Figure 4 shows a side view and ray-trace diagram for parabolic imaging heliostat.
• Figure 5 shows an isometric projection of reflective concentrator.
• Figure 6 shows a symmetrical assemblage of two reflective concentrators.
• a linearly reflecting trough concentrator of the present invention and being formed from a heliostatic array, photonic energy, especially in the form of light waves in the visible and infrared spectra, strikes a set of reflective surfaces at an incident angle of 90 degrees.
• Each of the individual reflective surfaces describe a separate heliostat.
• the light is then reflected to a target plane in such a way that it is evenly reflected to avoid hot spots.
• a second set of reflective surfaces similarly reflect light arriving at an incident angle of 90 degrees toward an opposing target plane in the same manner.
• the present invention provides a reflective concentrator assembly that uses the Fresnel lens principle to describe the negative, inside profile of two refractive lenses that are superimposed, or interleaved, over one another.
• the first set of reflective surfaces are slopes having their own reflective target
• the second set of reflective surfaces are reliefs that allow the first three slopes to be formed contiguously by a reflective material or substrate. Further, the relief surfaces do not interfere with the reflective pathway of photonic energy toward the target area when that photonic energy strikes the heliostatic array at an incident angle of 90 degrees. Because one embodiment of the concentrator assembly is symmetrical, the inverse is true where the second set of reflective surfaces are slopes having their own target, and the first set of reflective surfaces are reliefs.
• Figure 1 shows the concentrator assembly of the present invention and depicts the reflective pathway of energy striking the heliostatic array at incident angle of 90 degrees and being reflected toward the two target areas. It is contemplated that these two target areas may comprise photonic transducers or receiving devices.
• a reflective projector may be used in conjunction with the heliostatic array. The reflective surface of the projector is designed to receive photonic energy arriving at a plurality of incident angles from the second set of reflective surfaces of the concentrator, and to evenly reflect and distribute that energy to the first target area described above.
• Figure 2 represents the concentrator assembly with the reflective projector attached to the right side of the heliostatic array and depicts the path of photonic energy striking the heliostatic array at incident angle of 90 degrees. While a first set of light rays strike the first set of reflective surfaces and are reflected toward the first target area directly, a second set of light rays reflect from the second set of reflective surfaces onto the projector surface, which in turn reflects these rays again toward the first target area.
• the projector substitutes the second target area described above so that photonic energy striking the projector surface is redirected to the first target area. It is contemplated that this target area may comprise a photonic transducer or receiving device.
• a heliostatic array may be formed from a single piece of bright aluminum or from reflective material applied to a molded or extruded plastic. Four times (4x) the energy concentration is realized when the device reflects light striking a 12.8 inches wide heliostatic array onto a 3.2 inch target using a reflecting projector. In an embodiment with 6 heliostats, light striking three of the heliostats reflects directly onto the target area, while light striking the other three heliostats reflects toward the projector and is reflected a second time toward the target area. The number of heliostats, i.e. slopes and reliefs, may be increased to allow a flatter profile while ensuring that any particular slope/relief surface does not interfere with the reflective path of another surface toward its target area.
• concentrating reflector 10 comprises reflective surface area 20, relief plane 30, and vertically oriented sidewall 40 for mounting solar receiver 50.
• reflective surface 20 is faceted and non-imaging
• a parabolic shape is described having a curve formed of large intervals to form the single heliostat.
• the negative profile i.e., the concave inside edge, is described for a single convex slope- relief Fresnel lens interval.
• the convex thickness of a lens may be reduced by dividing the arc of the lens into segments and then flattening the top of each curved segments onto the same plane.
• the segment's curvature is the slope, and the interval segment necessary to eliminate thickness and join each slope is the relief.
• the preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention is derived from embodiments having multiple negative (concave) Fresnel slope-relief intervals.
• Figure 3 also shows a ray-trace diagram that depicts the reflection path of Spectral energy 60 that strikes reflective surface area 20 to be concentrated onto solar receiver 50.
• Spectral energy 60 enters the aperture of the concentrating reflector 10 at an incident angle of ninety (90) degrees to the horizontal plane of the invention.
• the horizontal plane is depicted by transparent glazing surface 11 that bridges the left and right top edges of the concentrating reflector's side view.
• spectral energy 60 is redirected onto solar receiver 50.
• This embodiment describes a geometric concentration ratio of seven (7x) where seven facets 21 through 27 concentrate spectral energy 60 entering an aperture area that is seven times wider than the width of solar receiver 50.
• two reflected rays 61 and 62 emerge from one spectral ray 60 that enters the aperture of concentrating reflector 10.
• Reflected ray 61 optimally strikes at or near the top edge of solar receiver 50 as a result of reflection calculated from the angle of each facet at its top most end.
• Reflected ray 62 optimally strikes at or near the bottom edge of solar receiver 50 as a result of reflection calculated from the angle of each facet at its bottom-most end.
• FIG 4 shows a side view of imaging reflective concentrator 110 having an imaging focus of concentrated spectral energy.
• reflective surface 120 is a continuous paraboloid with no discernable facets.
• Incident spectral rays 160 enter aperture 111 to be concentrated onto solar receiver 150.
• Relief plane 130 joins the reflective surface area to sidewall 140, which may optionally be used to mount solar receiver 150.
• Figure 5 shows an isometric projection of concentrating reflector 10.
• Concentrating reflector end 13 is beveled inwardly from the top aperture area where glazing 11 sits to the bottom of reflector 12 where relief slope 30 joins reflective surface area 20.
• lip 14 is provided to describe a seating area for glazing 11.
• the dimension of rotational axis 80 runs lengthwise through any point of concentrating reflector 10. Rotation about this single axis enables linear concentration for an energy source, ideally the sun, relative to a static orientation of the concentrating reflector.
• Figure 6 shows an end view of an assemblage of two asymmetrical concentrating reflectors 210 and 210' oriented back-to-back to form a single symmetrical reflecting concentrator 200 that rotates linearly about a single axis 280. Rotation about this single axis enables linear concentration for an energy source, ideally the sun, relative to a stationary orientation of the assemblage.
• each heliostat in the array may be separate yet connected to adjacent heliostatic reflectors so that the entire array is initially collapsed and is expanded in place.
• This embodiment is particularly well suited for deployment into outer space and other applications that may benefit from transportation of a smaller, collapsed apparatus followed by expanded deployment of the apparatus once disposed at the point of use.
• concentrators of the present invention may be mounted on means capable of tracking the motion of the sun both as it proceeds across the sky throughout the day and throughout the seasons in order to maximize the amount of spectral energy captured.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Sustainable Energy (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Toxicology (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Optical Elements Other Than Lenses (AREA)
• Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
• Mounting And Adjusting Of Optical Elements (AREA)
• Lenses (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Citations (5)

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• 2005
  • 2005-05-06 US US11/124,615 patent/US20060249143A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2006
  • 2006-05-02 WO PCT/US2006/016682 patent/WO2006121686A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2006-05-02 AU AU2006244561A patent/AU2006244561A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-05-02 EP EP06752035A patent/EP1886073A4/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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