DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Method of forming structural heliostat

Abstract

In forming 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 characterized by a method of forming the mirror module in which the mirror is laid upon a solid rigid supporting bed in one or more sections, with or without focusing; a mirror backing sheet is applied by first applying respective thin layers of silicone grease and, thereafter, progressively rolling application to eliminate air bubbles; followed by affixing of a substrate assembly to the mirror backing sheet to form a mirror module that does not curve because of thermally induced stresses and differential thermal expansion or contraction effects. The silicone grease also serves to dampen fluttering of the mirror and protect the mirror backside against adverse effects of the weather. Also disclosed are specific details of preferred embodiments.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Littleton, CO
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
865064
Patent Number(s):
4456332
Application Number:
06/266,991
Assignee:
Atlantic Richfield Company (Los Angeles, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F24 - HEATING F24S - SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
DOE Contract Number:  
MDH 83-2729E
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
method; forming; structural; heliostat; main; support; structure; pivoting; tilting; motors; gears; mirror; module; reflecting; solar; energy; collector; improvement; characterized; laid; solid; rigid; supporting; bed; sections; focusing; sheet; applied; applying; respective; layers; silicone; grease; thereafter; progressively; rolling; application; eliminate; air; bubbles; followed; affixing; substrate; assembly; form; curve; thermally; induced; stresses; differential; thermal; expansion; contraction; effects; serves; dampen; fluttering; protect; backside; adverse; weather; disclosed; specific; details; preferred; embodiments; adverse effects; differential thermal; thermally induced; preferred embodiments; thermal expansion; preferred embodiment; solar energy; support structure; main support; mirror module; reflecting solar; tilting motors; air bubbles; /156/359/

Citation Formats

Anderson, Alfred J. Method of forming structural heliostat. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Anderson, Alfred J. Method of forming structural heliostat. United States.
Anderson, Alfred J. Tue . "Method of forming structural heliostat". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865064.
@article{osti_865064,
title = {Method of forming structural heliostat},
author = {Anderson, Alfred J},
abstractNote = {In forming 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 characterized by a method of forming the mirror module in which the mirror is laid upon a solid rigid supporting bed in one or more sections, with or without focusing; a mirror backing sheet is applied by first applying respective thin layers of silicone grease and, thereafter, progressively rolling application to eliminate air bubbles; followed by affixing of a substrate assembly to the mirror backing sheet to form a mirror module that does not curve because of thermally induced stresses and differential thermal expansion or contraction effects. The silicone grease also serves to dampen fluttering of the mirror and protect the mirror backside against adverse effects of the weather. Also disclosed are specific details of preferred embodiments.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {6}
}