Circular arc solar concentrator

Patent · Tue May 13 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5666050

Townsend, D W; Routery, E E

A roof structure is described for a building comprising: a plurality of anticlastic panels having a light concentrating surface being convex along an east-west axis and concave along a north-south axis so that light from a distant source is focused in a narrow and substantially straight zone of concentration that moves in a planar path regardless of the angle of incidence of light directed thereto; means for securing the panels together on adjacent edges; a frame for supporting the panels in a stationary position on a building; a collector means for absorbing the light and converting the light into heat and transferring the heat to a remote location, the collector means moving in the planar path of the zone of concentration according to changes in the location of the zone of concentration; and the concave surface includes a crown being a generally circular arc of radius r/sub xc/, first and second concave edges being concave generally circular arcs parallel to the crown arc and having a radius r/sub xe/ which is greater than r/sub xc/ and first and second intermediate surfaces extending between the first and second concave edges and the crown wherein the intermediate surfaces are defined by generally circular arcs varying in a monotonic increase from the crown to the first and second concave edges.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-85-013777; EDB-86-134929
• Patent Number(s): US 4587951
• OSTI ID: 5666050
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 27 Feb 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
BUILDINGS
ROOFS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
DESIGN
ABSORPTION
FASTENING
FOCUSING
HEAT TRANSFER
INCIDENCE ANGLE
PANELS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR RADIATION
SUPPORTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
JOINING
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
RADIATIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STELLAR RADIATION
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators