Central receiver solar collector using analog coupling mirror control

A mirror mount adapted for carrying a mirror in an array of collectively controlled mirrors, the mount allowing independent variations of angular orientation of the mounted mirror about a first and a second mutually orthogonal fixed mirror mount axes which are to be respectively oriented parallel for all mirror mounts in the collectively controlled mirror array, the mount comprising:

• (a) a support pedestal,
• (b) an articulated support joint including a fixed member which is rigidly coupled to the support pedestal and a mobile member which can be tilted through a wide range of angular positions about a fixed center of rotation,
• (c) a ring bearing having a first part which is rigidly coupled to the mobile member of the support joint and a second part which is rotatable with respect to the first part about an axis which passes through the center of rotation of the support joint,
• (d) a tiltable structure assembly having a first part and a second part;
• the mobile member of the support joint and the first part of the ring bearing being included in the first part of the tiltable structure assembly, and the second part of the tiltable structure assembly being carried by the second part of the ring bearing,
• (e) a first control linkage and a second control linkage,
• (f) a first articulated linkage joint for coupling the first control linkage to the first part of the tiltable structure assembly, and a second articulated linkage joint for coupling the second control linkage to the second part of the tiltable structure assembly, the first and second linkage joints being carried by the first and second parts of the tiltable structure assembly respectively within a common tiltable plane which is orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the ring bearing and contains the center of rotation of the support joint, and
• (g) a first actuator for moving the first control linkage and a second actuator for moving the second control linkage, the first and second actuators being so positioned with respect to the pedestal as to be adapted to move the first and the second control linkages respectively in a manner such that the first and the second articulated linkage joints are respectively constrained to move in a first and a second mutually orthogonal fixed planes which intersect along a line containing the center of rotation of the support joint;
• the normal directions to the first and second fixed planes respectively defining the directions of the first and second mirror mount axes.

A solar radiation collector having a radiation receiver and a torsionally coupled mirro array disposed over a generally plane surface for concentrating solar radiation onto the radiation receiver, the collector comprising:

• (a) a plurality of spaced apart parallel torsional coupling devices of a first type, each having associated therewith an axis of rotation and a preselected gradation of torsional compliance between a first end of low compliance and a second end of high compliance,
• (b) a multiplicity of articulated mirror mount hubs, with a plurality of mirror mount hubs carried in spaced relationship by each torsional coupling device of the first type, each mirror mount hub comprising:
• (i) a ring bearing having a first part which is rigidly coupled to the associated individual torsional coupling device of the first type which carries it, and a second part which is rotatable with respect to the first part about an axis of rotation which perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the associated torsional coupling device of the first type,
• (ii) a primary pivot member, carried by the second part of the ring bearing, having an axis of rotation which perpendicularly intersects the axis of rotation of the ring bearing at the common point of intersection with the axis of rotation of the associated torsional coupling device of the first type,
• (c) a plurality of spaced apart parallel torsional coupling devices of a second type, each having a preselected gradation of compliance generally comparable to that of the individual coupling devices of the first type, such that each has a low compliance end and a high compliance end;
• with each torsional coupling device of the second type perpendicularly intersecting the plurality of coupling devices of the first type within the surface of the mirror array and being pivotally engaged to the primary pivot member of a mirror mount hub at each intersection of the individual torsional coupling device of the second type with the plurality of torsional coupling devices of the first type,
• (d) a plurality of mirrors, each carried by the second part of the ring bearing on a mirror mount hub and being so constructed as to avoid interference with the individual torsional coupling devices of the first and second types which intersect at the mirror mount hub,
• (e) means for supporting the ends of the torsional coupling devices,
• (f) means for estalishing desired rotational orientations for the ends of the individual torsional coupling devices, and
• (g) a radiation receiver which is spaced from the surface of the torsionally coupled mirror array and has dimensions small compared to the dimensions of the mirror array.