Solar concentrator protective system

In a solar concentrator system which includes a solar radiation receiver with an opening and a concentrator which concentrates solar radiation onto said receiver opening, the improvement of a protective system for blocking solar radiation comprising:

• a shutter mechanism including at least one shutter, said mechanism moveable between open and closed configurations;
• and
• means for storing said shutter mechanism near said receiver and in an open configuration to avoid blocking the receiver opening, and for moving said shutter mechanism toward said concentrator to a second position and closing said shutter mechanism and holding it closed at said second position;
• said shutter mechanism includes a shutter frame moveable toward said concentrator and a plurality of shutter elements pivotally mounted on said frame to pivot between open and closed positions, each element including a cam follower, said shutter mechanism also including a plurality of cams mounted on said receiver and positioned to pivot said cam followers to close said shutter elements as said frame moves toward said concentrator.

In a solar concentrator system which includes a solar radiation receiver with an opening and a concentrator which concentrates solar radiation onto said receiver opening, the improvement of a protective system for blocking solar radiation comprising:

• a shutter mechanism releaseable to move from an open configuration to a closed configuration;
• said receiver includes a chamber and a plurality of tubes for carrying cooling fluid positioned at the inside wall of said chamber;
• and
• means for releasing said shutter mechanism including a fuse of lower melting temperature material than said tubes lying adjacent to said chamber inside walls, so the fuse is melted when cooling fluid does not flow at a sufficient rate through said tubes, while concentrated sunlight heats them, and means responsive to breaking of said fuse for releasing said shutter mechanism.

In a solar concentrator system which includes a solar radiation receiver with an opening and a concentrator which concentrates solar radiation onto said receiver opening, the improvement of a protective system for blocking solar radiation comprising:

• a main frame supporting said concentrator and receiver with said receiver above said concentrator when said concentrator faces upward toward the sky, said receiver having a guideway;
• a shutter mechanism including a shutter frame moveable along said guideway, said main frame holding said guideway to confine said shutter frame to movement toward and away from said concentrator;
• retainer means connected between said main frame and said shutter frame for supporting said shutter frame against moving along said guideway, said retainer means responsive to the beginning of receiver overheating for releasing said shutter frame to move along said guideway;
• said shutter mechanism including a plurality of shutter elements and cam elements, some of said elements mounted on said shutter frame and other elements mounted on said receiver, said cam elements positioned to move said shutter elements from open to closed positions as said shutter frame moves down along said guideway.