Non-tracking solar collector device
AssigneeKloben S.A.S. di Turco Adelino EC.
InventorGeoffrey Lester Harding
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Non-tracking solar collector device (1) comprising at least an absorber element (2), at least a couple of reflector elements (3) disposed on opposite sides of the absorber element (2) for conveying the solar radiation onto the absorber element itself and said reflector elements (3) comprising at least one fixed portion (8a,8b) and at least one rotating portion (9); the rotating portions (9) being movable between at least a first extreme position (10), in which the rotating portions are moved away from each other and the entire surface of said reflector elements (3) is substantially continuous, and a second extreme position (11), in which the rotating portions are moved close to each other in order to substantially obscure said absorber element (2).
Claims16
A non-tracking solar collector device comprising:
- at least an absorber element;
- at least two reflector elements disposed on opposite sides of said absorber element for reflecting the solar radiation onto the absorber element itself,
- wherein each one of said reflector elements comprises at least one rotating element wherein each rotating element comprises a bottom end and a top end, each rotating element is able to pivot around a relative fixed pivot located at or near the bottom end of said rotating element, the rotating portions being movable about the fixed pivot locations during operation of the device between at least a first extreme position, in which each of the rotating elements of opposing reflector elements are moved away from each other to lay against a fixed element forming a seating surface of each opposing reflector element, and a second extreme position, in which the rotating elements of opposing reflector elements are rotated about the fixed pivot point to bring the far ends of opposing rotating elements towards each other in order to substantially obscure said absorber element,
- wherein each of said rotating elements are movable to at least a first intermediate position where the efficiency of sunlight is increased for light incidence at high angles of incidence and,
- wherein each of said rotating elements are movable to at least a second intermediate position where the absorber elements is partially obscured from solar radiation and,
- wherein each one of said reflector elements comprises said fixed element such that when a corresponding rotating element is in the first extreme position, the rotating element lays against the fixed element such that a lower portion of the fixed element extends below the bottom end of said rotating element and an upper portion extends beyond the top end of said rotating element to effectively form a continuous reflector element surface and;
- a means for control of rotation of the rotating portions about the fixed pivot points that comprises a motorized means for rotation and a control circuit connected with at least a temperature sensor associated with the absorber element to determine an amount of rotating necessary by the motorized means to prevent overheating of said absorber element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.