High ground cover ratio solar collection system

Abstract

In one embodiment, a solar energy collection system that includes an array of collectors to track movements of the sun, each collector having a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a trough, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector, a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector, and a tracking mechanism to rotate the collector about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to track movements of the sun and direct incident sunlight along the longitudinal axis.

1 . A solar energy collection system that includes an array of collectors to track movements of the sun along at least one axis, the collector comprising:
 a plurality of reflector panels;   a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a trough, the trough having a longitudinal axis, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector;   a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector; and   a tracking mechanism to rotate the collector about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to track movements of the sun and to direct incident sunlight along the longitudinal axis, the tracking mechanism including:
 a common platform to support the collector; and 
 means for rotating the common platform. 
   
     
     
         2 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during operation of the collector.   
     
     
         3 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the means for rotating comprises:
 a plurality of stands positioned on a bottom surface of the common platform and mounted to a base, each of the plurality of stands designed to stabilize the common platform;   a rotation assembly positioned between the plurality of stands and a bottom surface of the common platform designed to rotate the common platform;   a motor configured to rotate the common platform via the rotation assembly; and   a control box configured to communicate with the motor to control the rotation direction and speed of the common platform.   
     
     
         4 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the means for rotating comprises:
 a plurality of stands positioned on a bottom surface of the common platform and mounted to a base, each of the plurality of stands designed to stabilize the common platform;   a hydraulic pump assembly positioned on a bottom surface of the common platform, the hydraulic pump configured to rotate the common platform; and   a control box configured to communicate with the hydraulic pump assembly to control the rotation direction and speed of the common platform.   
     
     
         5 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein each reflective side wall has a curvature that approximates a quarter parabola segment to thereby concentrate incident solar radiation on the plurality of solar receivers. 
     
     
         6 . The solar energy collector of  claim 3 , wherein the stand further comprises:
 a hydraulic pump assembly;   a control box configured to communicate with the hydraulic pump assembly to control the rotation of each collector about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         7 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the array of collectors are positioned side-by-side in a transverse direction with a gap of no more than 20 millimeters between the reflective side walls of adjacent collectors. 
     
     
         8 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein no component of the solar energy collection system shades the reflector panels during normal operation of the solar energy collection system. 
     
     
         9 . The solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the adjacent collectors are vertically staggered. 
     
     
         10 . The solar energy collector of  claim 9 , wherein the solar receivers of adjacent collectors vertically overlap. 
     
     
         11 . A solar energy collection system having an array of collector carousels that track movements of the sun along at least one axis, each collector carousel in the array comprising:
 a plurality of adjacent collectors having reflector panels;   a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a reflector trough, each trough having a longitudinal axis, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector;   a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector; and   a tracking mechanism to rotate the collector carousel about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis to track movements of the sun and to direct incident sunlight at the trough aperture the tracking mechanism including:
 a common platform to support the polarity of collectors; and 
 means for rotating the common platform. 
   
     
     
         12 . A collector carousel to track movements of the sun along at least one axis, the collector carousel comprising:
 a plurality of collectors having reflector panels;   a support structure that supports the reflector panels, wherein the support structure supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a reflector trough, each trough having a longitudinal axis, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the collector;   a plurality of solar receivers, each solar receiver being positioned generally adjacent an edge of an associated trough and including at least one photovoltaic cell, wherein the reflector panels are arranged to direct incident sunlight towards the solar receivers using a single reflection during operation of the collector; and   a tracking mechanism to rotate the collector to track movements of the sun and to direct incident sunlight at the trough aperture,   wherein no component of the collector carousel shades the reflector panels during normal operation of the collector carousel.