Concave mirror constituted by a plurality of plane facets and solar generator comprising such a mirror
AssigneeSocieta Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale
InventorAlain Girard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a concave mirror composed of a plurality of planar facets. According to the invention, all the facets are identical and the two dimensions of said facets are such that the square root of their product is at least approximately equal to the ratio of the focal distance of the mirror and of the square root of the rate of concentration of the mirror. The invention finds application in the concentration of solar energy in solar generators.
Claims11
In a concave mirror which is adapted to provide when aimed towards a remote light source such as the sun, a useful focal or quasi-focal spot of at least approximately square or rectangular form and of predetermined dimensions, said useful spot being centred on the axis of said mirror, the reflecting surface of said mirror being constituted by a plurality of identical planar facets whose shape and dimensions correspond to those of said useful spot and which are disposed in rows and in columns, so that the section of the reflected beam coming from each planar facet totally covers said useful spot, the two dimensions of said facets being such that the square root of their product is at least approximately equal to the ratio of the focal distance of the mirror and of the square root of the concentration factor of said mirror.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.