Back to results
US 10,921,027 B2Granted
Solar thermal concentrator and method of forming same
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsRoland Winston, Lun Jiang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A concentrator tube comprises a reflector portion having two walls; and an aperture closing an opening to the reflector portion. The aperture and the reflector portion extend longitudinally. The aperture is substantially flat relative to curvature of the reflector portion.
Claims32
A concentrator tube extending from a distal end to a proximal end, the concentrator tube comprising:
- a trough shaped reflector portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end and defining an upper opening, the reflector portion configured to concentrate light from a source onto an absorber;
- a light transmissive aperture member closing the upper opening of the trough shaped reflector portion, the light transmissive aperture member formed integrally with the trough shaped reflector portion through an extrusion process such that a volume enclosed by the concentrator tube is formed as whole via the extrusion process, wherein the tube concentrates light incident through the aperture member at angles to an optic axis less than an acceptance angle with an optical efficiency greater than 80%;
- and
- the absorber located within the tube;
- wherein:
- the reflector portion is configured such that substantially any radiation energy emitted from the absorber onto the reflector portion is either directed to the source or directed back to the absorber;
- and
- each end of the concentrator tube is sealed such that the concentrator tube encloses the volume between the trough shaped reflector portion, the light transmissive aperture member, and the sealed ends of the concentrator tube, the volume being substantially evacuated, and
- the reflector portion and the aperture member are formed by rolling a mandrel on an outside surface of a softened glass tube.
6 more elements
A method of forming a concentrator tube extending from a distal end to a proximal end, comprising:
- forming a trough shaped reflector portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end and defining an upper opening, the reflector portion configured to concentrate light from a source onto an absorber;
- forming a light transmissive aperture member closing the upper opening of the trough shaped reflector portion;
- and
- positioning the absorber located within the tube;
- wherein:
- the reflector portion is configured such that substantially any radiation energy emitted from the absorber onto the reflector portion is either directed to the source or directed back to the absorber, and wherein the reflector portion is further configured to compensate for aberrations in the light entering the concentrator tube due to refraction by the aperture member;
- and
- the reflector portion and the aperture member are formed by rolling a mandrel on an outside surface of a softened glass tube.
5 more elements
A concentrator tube extending from a distal end to a proximal end comprising:
- a trough shaped reflector portion extending between the proximal end and the distal end and defining an upper opening, the reflector portion configured to concentrate light from a source onto an absorber;
- a light transmissive aperture member closing the upper opening of the trough shaped reflector portion, wherein the tube concentrates light incident through the aperture member at angles to an optic axis less than an acceptance angle with an optical efficiency greater than 80%;
- and
- the absorber located within the tube;
- wherein:
- the reflector portion is configured such that substantially any radiation energy emitted from the absorber onto the reflector portion is either directed to the source or directed back to the absorber;
- each end of the tube is sealed;
- and
- the reflector portion and the aperture member are formed by rolling a mandrel on an outside surface of a softened glass tube.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.