Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Thermally stabilized heliostat

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6143826
An improvement in a heliostat having a main support structure and pivoting and tilting motors and gears and a mirror module for reflecting solar energy onto a collector, the improvement being characterized by an internal support structure within each mirror module and front and back sheets attached to the internal support structure, the front and back sheets having the same coefficient of thermal expansion such that no curvature is induced by temperature change, and a layer of adhesive adhering the mirror to the front sheet. The adhesive is water repellent and has adequate set strength to support the mirror but has sufficient shear tolerance to permit the differential expansion of the mirror and the front sheet without inducing stresses or currature effect. The adhesive also serves to dampen fluttering of the mirror and to protect the mirror backside against the adverse effects of weather. Also disclosed are specific details of the preferred embodiment.
Assignee:
Atlantic Richfield Co
Patent Number(s):
US 4373783
OSTI ID:
6143826
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Thermally stabilized heliostat
Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1982 · OSTI ID:864493

Method of forming structural heliostat
Patent · Tue Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · OSTI ID:865064

Method of forming structural heliostat
Patent · Tue Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · OSTI ID:6393530