Composite sandwich mirror panel useful in concentrated solar power systems

A composite panel assembly, comprising:

• (a) a first skin;
• (b) a second skin;
• and
• (c) a core coupling the first skin to the second skin in spaced apart fashion, wherein the core comprises a plurality of spaced apart core elements that are integrally formed from at least one of the first and second skins, and wherein the core elements are configured to provide the composite panel with a shear stiffness that decreases with increasing distance from a reference site of the composite panel assembly.

A concentrating solar power system, comprising:

• (a) a central target;
• and
• (b) a plurality of articulating heliostats that redirects and concentrates sunlight onto the central target, wherein at least one of the heliostats comprises a mirror panel assembly, and wherein the mirror panel assembly comprises:
• (i) a bottom component comprising (I) an upper surface, (II) lower surface, and (III) a reference site;
• (ii) a top component that is spaced apart from the bottom component and that has a lower surface and a reflective upper surface effective to redirect incident sunlight;
• and
• (iii) a core component interposed between the bottom component and the top component and comprising a plurality of spaced apart core elements that couple the bottom component to the top component in a spaced apart fashion, wherein the core elements are provided in a manner such that at least a portion of the mirror panel assembly has a relatively higher shear stiffness proximal to the reference site and a relatively lower shear stiffness radially distal from the reference site.

A method of making a heliostat, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a mirror panel assembly, comprising the steps of:
• (i) providing a bottom skin having a bottom surface and a top surface;
• (ii) providing a top skin having a bottom surface and a reflective top surface effective to redirect incident sunlight;
• (iii) identifying at least a first reference site on the bottom skin;
• and
• (iv) using a plurality of spaced apart core elements to couple the bottom skin to the top skin in a spaced apart fashion such that the mirror panel assembly has a relatively higher shear stiffness proximal to a first reference site and a relatively lower shear stiffness distal from the first reference site;
• and
• (b) attaching an additional heliostat component to the reference site of the mirror panel assembly.