Solar refraction device for heating industrial materials
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid P. Heck, Michael R. Zolnowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a solar refraction device (“SRD”) for heating industrial materials in a heating container, having a bottom, with diffuse solar energy that impinges on an outside surface of the SRD and is refracted through the SRD. The SRD may include a lens array assembly and a plurality of lens panes attached to the lens array assembly. The lens array assembly may include an outside surface corresponding to the outside surface of the SRD, an inside surface, and a plurality of lens array sub-assemblies.
Claims24
A method for heating contents in a container using a solar refraction device, the method comprising:
- refracting solar energy impinging on a first surfaces of a lens array assembly of the solar refraction device through the lens array assembly toward second surfaces of the lens array assembly, the lens array assembly having a plurality of lens array sub-assemblies;
- refracting the solar energy at the second surfaces of the lens array assembly to focus refracted solar energy at a plurality of focal points of the plurality of lens array sub-assemblies, wherein each focal point corresponds to a lens array sub-assembly of the plurality of lens array sub-assemblies;
- and
- creating a heating area within the container with the refracted solar energy.
A method for heating contents in a container using a solar refraction device, the method comprising:
- refracting solar energy impinging on the solar refraction device through a lens array assembly having a plurality of lens array sub-assemblies, wherein a first lens array sub-assembly of the plurality of lens array sub-assemblies has a substantially parabolic shape and is configured to maintain a plurality of lens panes arranged in an array of columns and rows in a fixed relationship, and wherein the lens array assembly is configured to have a plurality of focal lengths;
- focusing refracted solar energy at a plurality of focal points with the plurality of lens array sub-assemblies, wherein each focal point corresponds to a lens array sub-assembly of the plurality of lens array sub-assemblies;
- and
- creating a heating area within the container with the refracted solar energy.
A method for fabricating a solar refraction device for heating industrial materials in a heating container having a bottom, the method comprising:
- determining a first amount of energy needed to melt or heat an amount of an industrial material;
- determining an array size of a lens array assembly for focusing the first amount of energy, the array size based on the amount of the industrial material, wherein the lens array assembly is configured to refract solar light impinging on the lens array assembly to the industrial material;
- assembling a support frame to support the lens array assembly;
- and
- assembling the lens array assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.