Improved solar energy concentrator system

Patent · Thu Dec 03 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5053416

Folino, F A

This report describes a solar energy concentrator system having a plurality of concentrator arrays with each of the arrays being made up of a plurality of adjacent longitudinally extending concentrator modules. Each of the concentrator modules has a semi-cylindrically-shaped housing and a semi-cylindrically-shaped cover in order to form an overall cylindrically-shaped structure which provides protection from adverse environmental conditions and withstands high wind loads. Situated within the cover and connected to the housing is a parabolically-shaped concentrator. The concentrator is made up of a plurality of parallelogram-shaped reflector panels mounted adjacent one another on a bias. This arrangement permits the ends of the panels to overlap adjacent modules so as to provide a substantially continuous reflector surface. The reflector surface redirects solar energy onto a plurality of solar cells located within the cover and as a result of the physical makeup of the concentrator components substantially eliminates the problem of cell shadowing.

• Assignee: EDB-82-155107
• Patent Number(s): None
• OSTI ID: 5053416
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
CONCENTRATOR SOLAR CELLS
COVERINGS
DESIGN
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DYNAMIC LOADS
EQUIPMENT
PARABOLIC REFLECTORS
PARABOLIC TROUGH REFLECTORS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SHADING
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR REFLECTORS
WEATHER
WIND LOADS