Tracking Fiber Optic Wafer Concentrator

A solar power system for supplying concentrated solar energy, comprising:

• a collector;
• and
• a concentrator assembly comprising an array of two or more linear lenses and a set of optical wafers each having a planar body and each being paired with one of the linear lenses,
• wherein a first edge of the body of the optical wafers is supported in the concentrator assembly to be proximate to the array of linear lenses,
• wherein a second edge of the body of the optical wafers opposite the first edge is positioned proximate to the collector,
• wherein each of the linear lenses focuses received sunlight onto the first edge of the paired one of the optical wafers, whereby at least a portion of the focused sunlight is transmitted through the optical wafers to the collector via the second edges,
• wherein the collector comprises an absorber tube with a light-transmissive sidewall through which a volume of working fluid flows during operation of the solar power system, and
• wherein the lens array is spaced apart from the first edges of the bodies of the optical wafers a lens array height and wherein the lens array height is selected based on configuration of the linear lenses such that a focal point for each of the linear lenses is proximate to one of the first edges along a length of the concentrator assembly.

A collector assembly for use in a concentrated solar power system, comprising:

• a light collector;
• a lens array comprising a frame and a plurality of linear lenses positioned in a side-by-side manner in the frame;
• for each of the linear lenses, a planar optical wafer with a first edge facing a corresponding one of the linear lenses and a second edge, opposite the first edge, facing toward the light collector;
• and
• an array positioning assembly operating at least periodically to move the frame of the lens array to adjust a height of the lens array as measured between the first edges and a surface of the linear lenses,
• wherein a focal point of each of the linear lenses substantially coincides with one of the first edges and
• wherein each of the linear lenses comprises a linear Fresnel lens and the linear Fresnel lenses have a substantially identical focal length.

A concentrated solar power system, comprising:

• an absorber tube;
• a working fluid contained within the absorber tube;
• a housing through which the absorber tube extends;
• a support plate positioned in the housing above the absorber tube;
• a plurality of spaced-apart, planar optical wafers with a first end supported by the support plate and a second end positioned proximate to an outer surface of the absorber tube;
• and
• a lens array including a plurality of linear Fresnel lenses positioned side-by-side with longitudinal axes in a parallel arrangement,
• wherein the second ends of the optical wafers are arranged to be substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the absorber tube and are spaced apart about substantially the entire circumference of the absorber tube.