Solar central receiver heliostat reflector assembly
Abstract
A heliostat reflector assembly for a solar central receiver system comprises a light-weight, readily assemblable frame which supports a sheet of stretchable reflective material and includes mechanism for selectively applying tension to and positioning the sheet to stretch it to optical flatness. The frame is mounted on and supported by a pipe pedestal assembly that, in turn, is installed in the ground. The frame is controllably driven in a predetermined way by a light-weight drive system so as to be angularly adjustable in both elevation and azimuth to track the sun and efficiently continuously reflect the sun's rays to a focal zone, i.e. central receiver, which forms part of a solar energy utilization system, such as a solar energy fueled electrical power generation system. The frame may include a built-in system for testing for optical flatness of the reflector. The preferable geometric configuration of the reflector is octagonal; however, it may be other shapes, such as hexagonal, pentagonal or square. Several different embodiments of means for tensioning and positioning the reflector to achieve optical flatness are disclosed. The reflector assembly is based on the stretch frame concept which provides an extremely light-weight, simple, low-cost reflector assembly that may be drivenmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Schenectady, NY
- Clifton Park, NY
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863598
- Patent Number(s):
- 4209236
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- EG-77-12031468
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- solar; central; receiver; heliostat; reflector; assembly; comprises; light-weight; readily; assemblable; frame; supports; sheet; stretchable; reflective; material; mechanism; selectively; applying; tension; positioning; stretch; optical; flatness; mounted; supported; pipe; pedestal; installed; ground; controllably; driven; predetermined; drive; angularly; adjustable; elevation; azimuth; track; sun; efficiently; continuously; reflect; rays; focal; zone; forms; energy; utilization; fueled; electrical; power; generation; built-in; testing; preferable; geometric; configuration; octagonal; shapes; hexagonal; pentagonal; square; embodiments; means; tensioning; achieve; disclosed; based; concept; provides; extremely; simple; low-cost; tracking; inexpensive; reflective material; reflector assembly; central receiver; electrical power; solar energy; power generation; solar central; heliostat reflector; receiver heliostat; energy utilization; energy fuel; /353/126/356/359/
Citation Formats
Horton, Richard H, and Zdeb, John J. Solar central receiver heliostat reflector assembly. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Horton, Richard H, & Zdeb, John J. Solar central receiver heliostat reflector assembly. United States.
Horton, Richard H, and Zdeb, John J. Tue .
"Solar central receiver heliostat reflector assembly". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863598.
@article{osti_863598,
title = {Solar central receiver heliostat reflector assembly},
author = {Horton, Richard H and Zdeb, John J},
abstractNote = {A heliostat reflector assembly for a solar central receiver system comprises a light-weight, readily assemblable frame which supports a sheet of stretchable reflective material and includes mechanism for selectively applying tension to and positioning the sheet to stretch it to optical flatness. The frame is mounted on and supported by a pipe pedestal assembly that, in turn, is installed in the ground. The frame is controllably driven in a predetermined way by a light-weight drive system so as to be angularly adjustable in both elevation and azimuth to track the sun and efficiently continuously reflect the sun's rays to a focal zone, i.e. central receiver, which forms part of a solar energy utilization system, such as a solar energy fueled electrical power generation system. The frame may include a built-in system for testing for optical flatness of the reflector. The preferable geometric configuration of the reflector is octagonal; however, it may be other shapes, such as hexagonal, pentagonal or square. Several different embodiments of means for tensioning and positioning the reflector to achieve optical flatness are disclosed. The reflector assembly is based on the stretch frame concept which provides an extremely light-weight, simple, low-cost reflector assembly that may be driven for positioning and tracking by a light-weight, inexpensive drive system.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}