Method and apparatus for aligning a solar concentrator using two lasers
A method and apparatus are provided for aligning the facets of a solar concentrator. A first laser directs a first laser beam onto a selected facet of the concentrator such that a target board positioned adjacent to the first laser at approximately one focal length behind the focal point of the concentrator is illuminated by the beam after reflection thereof off of the selected facet. A second laser, located adjacent to the vertex of the optical axis of the concentrator, is used to direct a second laser beam onto the target board at a target point thereon. By adjusting the selected facet to cause the first beam to illuminate the target point on the target board produced by the second beam, the selected facet can be brought into alignment with the target point. These steps are repeated for other selected facets of the concentrator, as necessary, to provide overall alignment of the concentrator.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Assignee:
- The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Number(s):
- 6,597,709
- Application Number:
- 09/679,355
- OSTI ID:
- 1174413
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 2000 Oct 05
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Mirror alignment techniques for point-focus solar concentrators
|
report | June 1992 |
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