# US 2009/0260360 A1 · Systems and methods for collecting solar energy for conversion to electrical energy with multiple thermodynamic engines and piezoelectric generators > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260360 A1 - Document ID: US20090260360A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/365,753 - Filed: 2009-02-04 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-09-17 - Assignees: Pulsar Energy, Inc. - Inventors: Cristian PENCIU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260360A1 ## CPC - F01K 27/00: Plants for converting heat or fluid energy into mechanical energy, not otherwise provided for - F01K 3/18: having heaters (having both steam accumulator and heater F01K3/14; steam heaters per se F22) - F24S 23/71: with parabolic reflective surfaces (with cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces F24S23/74) - Y02E 10/40: Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers - Y02E 10/46: Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F24S: SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS (for producing mechanical power from solar energy F03G6/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present disclosure provides systems and methods for collecting and converting solar energy into electrical energy by using solar collectors with multiple closed-cycle thermodynamic engines and/or piezoelectric generators. The solar collectors are configured to collect solar energy and to distribute the collected solar energy in a pulsating manner directly into multiple closed-cycle thermodynamic engines, piezoelectric generators, and the like. The pulsating manner means that the solar energy is allowed to enter into a particular engine or generator periodically, for a predetermined period of time, similar to turning a switch ON and OFF. Advantageously, this enables more efficient use of the collected solar energy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A solar array distribution system, comprising: a solar energy collector; a distribution mechanism located at an output of the solar collector; and a controller communicatively coupled to the distribution mechanism, wherein the controller is configured to control the distribution mechanism to provide collected solar energy from the solar energy collector to two or more devices in a pulsating manner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The solar array distribution system of claim 1, wherein the pulsating manner comprises providing the collected solar energy into each of the two or more devices for a time period corresponding to a heating cycle for the each of the two or more devices. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The solar array distribution system of claim 2, wherein the time period comprises one of a predetermined value and an adaptive setting based on operational conditions associated with the solar energy collector and the two or more devices. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The solar array distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution mechanism comprises: an optical switch located in free space at an output of the solar energy collector; and one or more reflective surfaces located in free space, wherein each of the one or more reflective surfaces is positioned substantially adjacent to each of the two or more devices; wherein the controller is configured to control the optical switch and the one or more reflective surfaces to provide the collected solar energy through optically transparent windows on each of the two or more devices. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The solar array distribution system of claim 4, wherein the optical switch comprises one of an oscillating reflective surface, a microelectromechanical system, and a refractive switch, and wherein the one or more reflective surfaces each comprise one of a flat and a curved surface configured to move with the optical switch to minimize the loss of solar energy during the transient part of the optical switch movement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The solar array distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution mechanism comprises: a plurality of light guides connected to the output of the solar collector; one or more splitters in the plurality of light guides; and a termination on each of the plurality of light guides, wherein the termination is located in a heating chamber of each of the one or more devices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The solar array distribution system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of light guides comprise any of FEP, glass, fluorinated polymers, and a thin tube filled with a fluid; and wherein the termination comprises a material transparent to infrared radiation and resistant to high temperatures inside the heating chamber. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The solar array distribution system of claim 1, wherein the distribution mechanism comprises: a plurality of rotatable reflective disks each comprising a reflective portion and a pass through portion; wherein the distribution mechanism is configured to rotate the plurality of rotatable reflective disks to distribute the collected solar energy into each of the two or more devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The solar array distribution system of claim 2, wherein the two or more devices each comprise any of a generator and a thermodynamic engine; wherein each of the two or more devices comprise an offset heating cycle from the other two or more devices. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The solar array distribution system of claim 9, wherein the pulsating manner further comprises removing heat with a heat removing device from each of the heating chambers not receiving collected solar energy through the distribution mechanism. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The solar array distribution system of claim 10, wherein the two or more devices comprise a piezoelectric generator; wherein the heat removing device comprises a plurality of heat exchangers disposed around the heating chamber; and wherein the plurality of heat exchanges comprise tubes with cooling water. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The solar array distribution system of claim 10, wherein the two or more devices comprise a closed-cycle thermodynamic; and wherein the heat removing device comprises a plurality of heat exchangers disposed around the heating chamber. ### Claim 13 A solar array, comprising: a plurality of solar collectors; an optical switch located in free space at an output of each of the plurality of solar collectors; one or more reflective surfaces located in free space, wherein each of the one or more reflective surfaces is positioned substantially adjacent to two or more devices; and a controller communicatively coupled to the optical switch and the one or more reflective surfaces, wherein the controller is configured to control the optical switch and the one or more reflective surfaces to provide collected solar energy from the plurality of solar collectors to the two or more devices in a pulsating manner. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The solar array of claim 13, wherein the pulsating manner comprises providing the collected solar energy into each of the two or more devices for a time period corresponding to a heating cycle for the each of the two or more devices. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The solar array of claim 14, wherein the time period comprises one of a predetermined value and an adaptive setting based on operational conditions associated with the solar energy collector and the two or more devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The solar array of claim 14, wherein the two or more devices each comprise a piezoelectric generator. ### Claim 17 A solar energy conversion method, comprising: collecting solar energy; directing the collected solar energy into a first device for a first time period; generating electricity with the first device; repeating the directing and generating steps for one or more devices each for additional time periods each corresponding to the one or more devices; and cooling one or more of the first device and the one or more devices while collected energy is being directed into another device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The solar energy conversion method of claim 17, further comprising: adapting the first time period and the additional time periods based on operational conditions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The solar energy conversion method of claim 17, wherein the first device and the one or more devices comprise piezoelectric generators. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The solar energy conversion method of claim 17, wherein the directing step is performed by an optical switch.