Thermally stabilized heliostat
- Littleton, CO
An improvement in a heliostat having a main support structure and pivoting and tilting motors and gears and a mirror module for reflecting solar energy onto a collector, the improvement being characterized by an internal support structure within each mirror module and front and back sheets attached to the internal support structure, the front and back sheets having the same coefficient of thermal expansion such that no curvature is induced by temperature change, and a layer of adhesive adhering the mirror to the front sheet. The adhesive is water repellent and has adequate set strength to support the mirror but has sufficient shear tolerance to permit the differential expansion of the mirror and the front sheet without inducing stresses or currature effect. The adhesive also serves to dampen fluttering of the mirror and to protect the mirror backside against the adverse effects of weather. Also disclosed are specific details of the preferred embodiment.
- DOE Contract Number:
- MDH 83-2729E
- Assignee:
- Atlantic Richfield Company (Los Angeles, CA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4373783
- OSTI ID:
- 864493
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Method of forming structural heliostat
Method of forming structural heliostat
Related Subjects
stabilized
heliostat
improvement
main
support
structure
pivoting
tilting
motors
gears
mirror
module
reflecting
solar
energy
collector
characterized
internal
front
sheets
attached
coefficient
thermal
expansion
curvature
induced
temperature
change
layer
adhesive
adhering
sheet
water
repellent
adequate
set
strength
sufficient
shear
tolerance
permit
differential
inducing
stresses
currature
effect
serves
dampen
fluttering
protect
backside
adverse
effects
weather
disclosed
specific
details
preferred
embodiment
adverse effects
temperature change
thermal expansion
preferred embodiment
solar energy
support structure
main support
differential expansion
mirror module
internal support
reflecting solar
thermally stabilized
tilting motors
/359/126/