BI-focussed solar energy concentrator

Patent · Tue Oct 08 04:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:5838292

O'Neill, M J

A refractive optical concentrator for focussing solar energy on to small focal spots includes a linear Fresnel lens optically cross-coupled with simple cylindrical lenses. The cross-coupled lens concentrator comprises an optically clear dielectric material, such as acrylic plastic, with a plurality of linear prisms formed on its inner surface, and a plurality of perpendicularly mounted cylindrical lenses formed on its outer surface, such that the cylindrical lenses focus the sunlight toward a series of lateral axes and the prisms re-focus the sunlight along a longitudinal axis. The bi-focussed radiant energy is thereby concentrated upon a series of photovoltaic cells for transforming sunlight into electrical energy.

• Assignee: Entech, Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4545366
• OSTI ID: 5838292
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
141000 -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
DESIGN
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
EQUIPMENT
ESTERS
FOCUSING
LENSES
MATERIALS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
POLYACRYLATES
POLYMERS
POLYVINYLS
PRISMS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR RADIATION
STELLAR RADIATION