Compact solar simulator with a small subtense angle and controlled magnification optics
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorKent S. Jefferies
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method of simulating a pseudosun using a solar simulator. In the present invention the collector and lens of a lamp are designed to properly focus a plurality of light beams onto a segmented turning mirror. The path of light rays are traced from the lamp to the collector and then finally to the lens to control the solid and tangential magnification of the solar simulator. The segmented turning mirror is located at the focal point of the light beam and redirects the light into a vacuum chamber.
Claims11
A solar dynamic facility comprising:
- a solar simulator including a plurality of lamp modules, wherein each of said lamp modules contains a collector and a lens positioned such that each of said lamp modules generates a light beam to a focal point,
- a segmented turning mirror including a plurality of segments with each segment positioned at the focal point of at least one of said light beams, for reflecting and turning each of said plurality of light beams, and
- a vacuum chamber including a concentrator for receiving each of said plurality of light beams thereby simulating a pseudo sun on said concentrator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.