Tensioning device for a stretched membrane collector

Patent · Sat Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:865256

Murphy, Lawrence M ^[1]

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1. Lakewood, CO

Disclosed is a solar concentrating collector comprising an elastic membrane member for concentrating sunlight, a frame for holding the membrane member in plane and in tension, and a tensioning means for varying the tension of the membrane member. The tensioning means is disposed at the frame and is adapted to releasably attach the membrane member thereto. The tensioning means is also adapted to uniformly and symmetrically subject the membrane member to stretching forces such that membrane stresses produced thereby are distributed uniformly over a thickness of the membrane member and reciprocal twisting moments are substantially prevented from acting about said frame.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO
• DOE Contract Number: EG-77-C-01-4042
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4483323
• OSTI ID: 865256
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/126/38/359/
acting
adapted
attach
collector
collector comprising
comprising
concentrating
concentrating sunlight
device
disclosed
disposed
distributed
elastic
elastic membrane
forces
frame
holding
means
membrane
moments
plane
prevented
produced
reciprocal
releasably
releasably attach
solar
stresses
stretched
stretched membrane
stretching
subject
substantially
substantially prevent
sunlight
symmetrically
tension
tensioning
tensioning device
thereto
thickness
twisting
uniformly
varying