Secondary reflectors for solar collectors and methods of making the same
AssigneeAlliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
InventorGuangdong ZHU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a device that includes a reflecting surface having a length aligned along a first axis (z), where a cross-section of the reflecting surface in a plane perpendicular to the first axis (z) forms a curve comprising a concave section positioned between a first endpoint and a second endpoint, at least a portion of the concave section is accurately approximated by a polynomial equation, an aperture is formed by a straight line connecting the first endpoint to the second endpoint, and the concave section is configured to focus a plurality of beams of light passing through the aperture onto a focal point.
Claims8
1-20. (canceled)
A method for defining a profile of a secondary reflector configured to receive a light from a field of primary reflectors and direct the light to an absorber, the method comprising:
- defining an aperture width for the secondary reflector;
- a first step of defining a vertical position of a starting edge surface point on the profile, relative to a horizontal axis, x, on which the plurality of primary reflectors are located;
- a second step of calculating a principal incidence of an incoming light relative to the starting edge surface point;
- a third step of calculating a dependent variable for the starting edge surface point;
- a fourth step of calculating a subsequent surface point on the profile based on the dependent variable;
- and
- repeating the second step, the third step, and the fourth step, in series, until the profile is defined across the width of the aperture, wherein:
- the principal incidence is defined as an angle at which a maximum amount of power provided by the light from the primary reflectors is delivered to the absorber, and
- the repeating is completed n times where n>2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.