Solar power system utilizing optical fibers each fiber fed by a respective lens

Patent · Tue Nov 20 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5941739

Whitaker, R O

A mosaic of lenses is oriented to face the sun. Each lens focuses a solar image upon the open end of a respective optical fiber. The several fibers converge to form a bundle. The bundle passes to a receiver generally inside a building. The radiation delivered by the bundle may be used for cooking, lighting, operation of a thermodynamic engine, or other similar application. In the preferred system the lens mosaic is a plastic sheet into which lenses have been molded. In a first auxiliary system the lens mosaic is formed on the front surface of a transparent plate. Solar images are formed on the rear surface. Optical fibers are attached where these solar images are formed. This eliminates two reflecting surfaces, thereby increasing efficiency by 19%. In a second auxiliary system mass of the plate is reduced by using truncated cones to transmit the radiation to the solar image positions.

• Assignee: EDB-85-061292; NOR-85-07058
• Patent Number(s): US 4483311
• OSTI ID: 5941739
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140700* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems
140909 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Miscellaneous Solar Applications-- (1980-)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
CONFIGURATION
CONICAL CONFIGURATION
DAYLIGHTING
EFFICIENCY
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FIBERS
HEAT ENGINES
IMAGE PROCESSING
LENSES
MATERIALS
OPTICAL FIBERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POWER PLANTS
PROCESSING
RADIATIONS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR COOKING
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR REFLECTORS
SPECTRALLY SELECTIVE SURFACES
STELLAR RADIATION
SURFACES
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS