Method of and apparatus for collecting solar radiation utilizing variable curvature cylindrical reflectors

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863296

Treytl, William J ^[1]; Slemmons, Arthur J ^[2]; Andeen, Gerry B ^[3]

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1. San Jose, CA
2. Los Gatos, CA
3. Menlo Park, CA

A heliostat apparatus includes a frame which is rotatable about an axis which is parallel to the aperture plane of an elongate receiver. A plurality of flat flexible mirror elements are mounted to the frame between several parallel, uniformly spaced resilient beams which are pivotally connected at their ends to the frame. Channels are mounted to the sides of the beams for supporting the edges of the mirror elements. Each of the beams has a longitudinally varying configuration designed to bow into predetermined, generally circular curvatures of varying radii when the center of the beam is deflected relative to the pivotally connected ends of the beams. All of the parallel resilient beams are simultaneously deflected by a cam shaft assembly extending through openings in the centers of the beams, whereby the mirror elements together form an upwardly concave, cylindrical reflecting surface. The heliostat is rotated about its axis to track the apparent diurnal movement of the sun, while the reflecting surface is substantially simultaneously bowed into a cylindrical trough having a radius adapted to focus incident light at the plane of the receiver aperture.

• Research Organization: FMC CORP
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76ET20426
• Assignee: FMC Corporation (San Jose, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4141626
• OSTI ID: 863296
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
apparatus
collecting
solar
radiation
utilizing
variable
curvature
cylindrical
reflectors
heliostat
frame
rotatable
axis
parallel
aperture
plane
elongate
receiver
plurality
flat
flexible
mirror
elements
mounted
uniformly
spaced
resilient
beams
pivotally
connected
channels
supporting
edges
longitudinally
varying
configuration
designed
bow
predetermined
circular
curvatures
radii
center
beam
deflected
relative
simultaneously
shaft
assembly
extending
openings
centers
whereby
form
upwardly
concave
reflecting
surface
rotated
track
apparent
diurnal
movement
sun
substantially
bowed
trough
radius
adapted
focus
incident
light
uniformly spaced
incident light
pivotally connected
substantially simultaneously
solar radiation
reflecting surface
shaft assembly
radiation utilizing
collecting solar
substantially simultaneous
/359/126/