# US 10,309,689 B2 · Facility for concentrating cosmic radiation equipped with a reflective optical surface inspection system

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,309,689 B2
- Document ID: US10309689B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/127,746
- Filed: 2015-03-24
- Published: 2017-05-11
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-27
- Assignees: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique
- Applicants: Centre National De La Recherche Scientifique
- Inventors: François Henault; Cyril Caliot
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309689B2

## CPC

- F24S 23/79: with spaced and opposed interacting reflective surfaces
- F24S 23/71: with parabolic reflective surfaces (with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74)
- F24S 23/77: with flat reflective plates
- G01M 5/005: {by means of external apparatus, e.g. test benches or portable test systems}
- G01M 11/005: {Testing of reflective surfaces, e.g. mirrors}
- G01M 11/081: {by using a contact-less detection method, i.e. with a camera}
- H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
- H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
- F24S 2050/25: {Calibration means; Methods for initial positioning of solar concentrators or solar receivers}
- Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation originating from a celestial object, said apparatus comprising: a concentrating optical surface able to reflect incident cosmic radiation toward a target surface O′X′Y′, and liable to contain local surface errors and aiming and orientation errors; a system for inspecting the reflective optical surface; means for acquiring images of the optical surface from various viewpoints M′mn (X′mn, y′mn) that are located on the target surface, m varying from 1 to M and n varying from 1 to N, so as to obtain M×N images of the optical surface illuminated by the cosmic radiation, with M viewpoints along X′ and N viewpoints along Y′, where M>1, N>1 and M·N≥30; and a unit for processing the M·N acquired images, which unit is suitable for: calculating the slopes δΔ(P)/δx and δΔ(P)/δy for each point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface, where: ∂ Δ ⁡ ( P ) ∂ x = g X ⁢ ⁢ ɛ 0 ⁢ ∑ m = 1 M ⁢ ∑ n = 1 N ⁢ sign ⁡ ( x mn ′ ) ⁢ ⁢ L ⁡ ( M mn ′ , P ) ∑ m = 1 M ⁢ ∑ n = 1 N ⁢ L ⁡ ( M mn ′ , P ) , ⁢ and ∂ Δ ⁡ ( P ) ∂ y = g Y ⁢ ⁢ ɛ 0 ⁢ ∑ m = 1 M ⁢ ∑ n = 1 N ⁢ sign ⁡ ( y mn ′ ) ⁢ ⁢ L ⁡ ( M mn ′ , P ) ∑ m = 1 M ⁢ ∑ n = 1 N ⁢ L ⁡ ( M mn ′ , P ) , L(M′mn, P) being the luminance at a point of the image corresponding to the point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface (2) observed from the viewpoint M′mn, ε0 the apparent angular radius of the celestial object and gx and gy preset coefficients; and determining from these slopes δΔ(P)/δx and δΔ(P)/δy, a local surface error ΔP(x,y) at the point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface (2).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation originating from a celestial object of nonzero apparent angular radius, said apparatus comprising:
a reflective optical surface able to reflect incident cosmic radiation toward a target surface O′X′Y′ in order to form thereon, and liable to contain local surface errors and aiming and orientation errors; and
a system for inspecting the reflective optical surface; wherein
the inspecting system comprises:
at least one camera that is configured to acquire images of the reflective optical surface from various viewpoints M′mn(x′mn, y′mn) that are located inside the area of the image of the celestial object on the target surface, m being an integer varying from 1 to M and n being an integer varying from 1 to N, so as to obtain M×N images of the reflective optical surface illuminated by the cosmic radiation, with M viewpoints along X′ and N viewpoints along Y′, where M>1, N>1 and M×N≥30; and
a processor that is configured to process the M×N acquired images by:
calculating slopes δΔ(P)/δx and δΔ(P)/δy for each point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface, where:
∂
Δ
⁡
(
P
)
∂
x
=
g
X
⁢
⁢
ɛ
0
⁢
∑
m
=
1
M
⁢
∑
n
=
1
N
⁢
sine
⁡
(
x
mn
′
)
⁢
⁢
L
⁡
(
M
mn
′
,
P
)
∑
m
=
1
M
⁢
∑
n
=
1
N
⁢
L
⁡
(
M
mn
′
,
P
)
,
⁢
and
∂
Δ
⁡
(
P
)
∂
y
=
g
Y
⁢
⁢
ɛ
0
⁢
∑
m
=
1
M
⁢
∑
n
=
1
N
⁢
sine
⁡
(
y
mn
′
)
⁢
⁢
L
⁡
(
M
mn
′
,
P
)
∑
m
=
1
M
⁢
∑
n
=
1
N
⁢
L
⁡
(
M
mn
′
,
P
)
L(M′mn, P) being a luminance at a point of the image corresponding to the point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface observed from the viewpoint M′mn(x′mn, y′mn), co the apparent angular radius of the celestial object and gx and gy preset coefficients; and
determining from these slopes δΔ(P)/δx and δΔ(P)/δy, a local surface error ΔP(x,y) at the point P(x,y) of the reflective optical surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one camera includes a plurality of cameras for acquiring images, which cameras are respectively located at various fixed or movable positions on the target surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflective optical surface to be inspected is orientable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one camera is located on the target surface and the apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation further comprises an actuator that is configured to modify the orientation of the reflective optical surface to be inspected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflective optical surface is segmented into facets and wherein the processor is suitable for furthermore determining errors in the orientation of the facets with respect to one another and an adjustment error of each facet.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflective optical surface is mounted in a heliostat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflective optical surface is parabolic.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of reflective optical surfaces, the reflective optical surface being one of the plurality of reflective optical surfaces.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the incident cosmic radiation is solar or lunar.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target surface is planar.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A central-tower power plant or individual concentrator or double-mirror solar furnace or Cherenkov telescope including an apparatus for concentrating cosmic radiation as claimed in claim 1.