Hemispheric moving focus power plant apparatus and method
OwnerMichael J. Osborneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hemispheric moving focus power plant (10) has a hemispheric solar reflector (12) for reflecting solar energy. A receiver (14) for receiving reflected solar energy and producing power therefrom is movably connected to the hemispheric solar reflector (12). The receiver (14) includes a frame with a top (24), to which a plurality of photovoltaic cells are connected, and a support (26). Further, a power conditioner (16) is connected to the receiver (14) for receiving power from the receiver (14) and conditioning the power for use.
Claims17
A hemispheric moving focus power plant apparatus comprising:
- (a) a hemispheric solar reflector means for reflecting solar energy;
- (b) photovoltaic receiver means for receiving reflected solar energy and producing electrical power therefrom, said photovoltaic receiver means comprising a vertical center support stem, a top connected to said vertical center support stem and angling outwardly and upwardly at an acute angle from said vertical center support stem, said top and said vertical center support stem covered with a plurality of photovoltaic cells, and said photovoltaic receiver means is movably connected to said hemispheric solar reflector;
- and
- (c) a power conditioning means, connected to said photovoltaic receiver means, for receiving electrical power from said photovoltaic receiver means and conditioning said electrical power for use.
A hemispheric moving focus power plant method comprising the steps of:
- (a) constructing the hemispheric solar reflector means for reflecting solar energy;
- (b) movably attaching a photovoltaic receiver means for receiving reflected solar energy and producing electrical power therefrom to said hemispheric solar reflector means, said photovoltaic receiver means comprising a vertical center support stem, a top connected to said vertical center support stem and angling outwardly and upwardly at an acute angle from said vertical center support stem, said top and said vertical center support stem covered with a plurality of photovoltaic cells;
- and
- (c) connecting a power conditioning means to said photovoltaic receiver means, for receiving electrical power from said photovoltaic receiver means and conditioning said electrical power for use.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.