US 4,102,326 AGranted

Central receiver solar collector using mechanically linked mirrors

OwnerWarren T. Sommerinventor

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Abstract

A solar collector having a central radiation receiver and a field of mirrors which are mechanically linked to track the sun and reflect solar radiation onto the radiation receiver. A rigid mechanical controlling element is carried by a plurality of parallel arms which are continuously aligned in the direction of the sun. Each mirror is coupled at normal incidence to a linear guide member which engages one of a plurality of positional guides mounted on the rigid controlling element to keep the mirrors in proper alignment.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A solar radiation collector utilizing mechanically linked mirrors to provide radiation concentration, comprising:

(a) a radiation receiver,
(b) a first rigid structure substantially greater in dimensional extent in at least one dimension than the dimentions of the radiation receiver, the first rigid structure being generally fixed with respect to the radiation receiver at a position displaced from the radiation receiver along a line normal to the directions of major dimensional extent of the first rigid structure,
(c) a first plurality of articulated joints carried by the first rigid structure, the joints allowing free rotation in any direction within a substantial range of angular positions,
(d) a plurality of mirrors, each mirror being coupled to and rotatable about an individual joint of the first plurality of articulated joints so that, when properly oriented, each of the mirrors may reflect radiation from a radiation source onto the radiation receiver,
(e) a second rigid structure which is translatably movable in three mutually perpendicular directions with respect to the first rigid structure, with the motion being constrained so that each point on the second rigid structure generally moves over a spherical surface particular to that point,
(f) a plurality of positional guides carried by the second rigid structure, each individual positional guide being paired with an individual joint of the first plurality of articulated joints in that each positional guide is disposed with respect to the second rigid structure in such a way that the particular spherical surface to which a positional guide is constrained contains an articulated joint of the first plurality of joints, with the articulated joint positioned at the intersection with the spherical surface of a straight line which passes through the position of the radiation receiver and the center of the particular sphere of constraint,
(g) a plurality of linear guide members, each coupled to an individual articulated joint of the first plurality of joints and extending to the positional guide associated with that particular joint, with the positional guide slidably engaging the linear guide member and with each linear guide member adapted to orient the individual mirror associated with that particular joint to a position normal to the linear guide member, and
(h) means for moving the second rigid structure, in response to changes in the angular position of the sun, so that each positional guide lies along a line which passes through the center of the particular sphere of constraint for that positional guide and is aligned in the direction of the sun.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A solar radiation collector utilizing mechanically linked mirrors to provide radiation concentration, comprising:

(a) a radiation receiver,
(b) a first rigid structure substantially greater in dimensional extent in at least one dimension than the dimentions of the radiation receiver, the first rigid structure being generally fixed with respect to the radiation receiver at a position displaced from the radiation receiver along a line normal to the directions of major dimensional extent of the first rigid structure,
(c) a first plurality of articulated joints carried by the first rigid structure, the joints allowing free rotation in any direction within a substantial range of angular positions,
(d) a plurality of mirrors, each mirror being coupled to and rotatable about an individual joint of the first plurality of articulated joints so that, when properly oriented, each of the mirrors may reflect radiation from a radiation source onto the radiation receiver,
(e) a second rigid structure which is translatably movable in three mutually perpendicular directions with respect to the first rigid structure, with the motion being constrained so that each point on the second rigid structure generally moves over a spherical surface particular to that point,
(f) a plurality of positional guides carried by the second rigid structure, each individual positional guide being paired with an individual joint of the first plurality of articulated joints in that each positional guide is disposed with respect to the second rigid structure in such a way that the particular spherical surface to which a positional guide is constrained contains an articulated joint of the first plurality of joints, with the articulated joint positioned at the intersection with the spherical surface of a straight line which passes through the position of the radiation receiver and the center of the particular sphere of constraint,
(g) a plurality of linear guide members, each coupled to an individual articulated joint of the first plurality of joints and extending to the positional guide associated with that particular joint, with the positional guide slidably engaging the linear guide member and with each linear guide member adapted to orient the individual mirror associated with that particular joint to a position normal to the linear guide member, and
(h) means for moving the second rigid structure, in response to changes in the angular position of the sun, so that each positional guide lies along a line which passes through the center of the particular sphere of constraint for that positional guide and is aligned in the direction of the sun.

5 more elements