Solar concentrator system for solar energy plants

Abstract

Certain embodiments make use of an array of passive primary concentrators positioned on the ground that provide primary concentrated solar radiation from below to an array of tracking secondary concentrators. The secondary concentrators further concentrate the solar radiation to one or more centralized receivers. The solar concentrator system may include apparatus for collection of solar radiation, concentration, and the absorbance of the concentrated solar energy. Some embodiments of the solar concentrator system include a large field of passive horizontal primary concentrators, overhead tracking secondary concentrators, and one or more receivers, which convert solar radiation into usable products or energy, such as electricity.

1 . A solar concentrator system comprising:
 one or more stationary primary concentrators positioned to receive solar irradiation, each of the one or more stationary primary concentrators including a generally curved optical surface capable of reflecting solar irradiation as primary concentrated solar radiation, the primary concentrated solar radiation substantially reflected to a position proximate a first focal line;   one or more articulating secondary concentrators, each articulating secondary concentrator positioned generally above a respective stationary primary concentrator such that a first optical surface of each articulating secondary concentrator is positioned proximate the first focal line, the first optical surface of each articulating secondary concentrator receiving primary concentrated solar radiation reflected by a respective stationary primary concentrator and reflecting the primary concentrated solar radiation as secondary concentrated solar radiation;   one or more passive centralized receivers configured to substantially absorb energy received as secondary concentrated solar radiation reflected by the one or more articulating secondary concentrators, wherein the one or more articulating secondary concentrators reflect the secondary concentrated solar radiation in a substantially lateral direction towards the one or more passive centralized receivers; and   a tracking system configured to determine a drift in the first focal line and to adjust the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the drift in the first focal line.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tensile structure from which the one or more articulating secondary concentrators are suspended; and   a support structure supporting the tensile structure, the support structure including a combination of one or more substructures, each substructure having at least one of compressive, flexing, and tensile properties.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the tensile structure includes one or more support cables. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an open loop control system configured to compensate for dynamic effects using dynamic corrections to at least one of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators and the tensile structure, wherein the open loop control system makes dynamic corrections in at least one of position, orientation, and tension. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators and the one or more stationary primary concentrators include an optical surface with a saw-tooth contour. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators and the one or more stationary primary concentrators include an optical surface with refractive properties. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more passive centralized receivers include a first passive centralized receiver and a second passive centralized receiver,
 the first passive centralized receiver being positioned at a first end of the one or more stationary primary concentrators, and   the second passive centralized receiver being positioned at a second end of the one or more stationary primary concentrators, the second end being opposite the first end.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein
 the one or more articulating secondary concentrators each include a second optical surface; and   adjusting the articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the drift in the first focal line by the tracking system includes:
 adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to orient the first optical surface to reflect secondary concentrated solar radiation towards the first passive centralized receiver during a first part of a solar day, and 
 adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to orient the second optical surface to reflect secondary concentrated solar radiation towards the second passive centralized receiver during a second part of the solar day. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking system is further configured to determine a seasonal displacement of the first focal line and to adjust the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the seasonal displacement in the first focal line, wherein seasonable displacement adjustments include at least one of:
 adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reorient the first optical surface to reflect secondary concentrated solar radiation towards a respective passive centralized receiver, and   adjusting each of the one or more passive centralized receivers to reorient towards a direction of secondary concentrated solar radiation being reflected from a respective articulating secondary concentrator.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein
 the tracking system is further configured to activate orientation movement to the one or more articulating secondary concentrators for adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reorient the first optical surface, and   the orientation movement includes at least one of rotation and vertical displacement.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more articulating secondary concentrators include means for protection from inclement weather. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more passive centralized receivers are positioned at a substantially higher elevation than the one or more articulating secondary concentrators. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more passive centralized receivers are partitioned into multiple sub-receivers, each sub-receiver including means to receive a portion of the secondary concentrated solar radiation having a frequency in a distinct frequency spectrum amplitude. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more articulating secondary concentrators are positioned to be approximately uniform in height above the one or more stationary primary concentrators. 
     
     
         15 . A method for directing primary concentrated solar radiation in a solar concentrator system, the method comprising:
 determining, at a tracking system, a drift in a first focal line,
 the first focal line being a position towards which primary concentrated solar radiation is reflected by each of one or more stationary primary concentrators, 
 the one or more stationary primary concentrators being positioned to receive solar irradiation, 
 each of the one or more stationary primary concentrators including a generally curved optical surface capable of reflecting solar irradiation as primary concentrated solar radiation; and 
   adjusting, at the tracking system, one or more articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the drift in the first focal line,
 each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators being positioned generally above a respective stationary primary concentrator such that a first optical surface of each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators substantially coincides with the first focal line, 
 the first optical surface of each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators receiving primary concentrated solar radiation reflected by a respective stationary primary concentrator and reflecting the primary concentrated solar radiation as secondary concentrated solar radiation, wherein
 adjustments enable the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reflect the primary concentrated solar radiation received from the one or more stationary primary concentrators as secondary concentrated solar radiation in a substantially lateral direction towards one or more passive centralized receivers, the one or more passive centralized receivers being configured to substantially absorb energy received as secondary concentrated solar radiation. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more articulating secondary concentrators are suspended from a tensile structure, the tensile structure being supported by a support structure including a combination of one or more substructures, each substructure having at least one of compressive, flexing, and tensile properties, the method further comprising:
 compensating, at an open loop control system, for dynamic effects using dynamic corrections to at least one of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators and the tensile structure, wherein the open loop control system makes dynamic corrections in at least one of position, orientation, and tension.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein
 the one or more passive centralized receivers include a first passive centralized receiver and a second passive centralized receiver;
 the first passive centralized receiver being positioned at a first end of the primary concentrators, and 
 the second passive centralized receiver being positioned at a second end of the primary concentrators, the second end being opposite the first end; and 
   the one or more articulating secondary concentrators each include a second optical surface, wherein the method further comprises:
 tracking, at the tracking system, to adjust to seasonal displacement of solar irradiation, wherein seasonable displacement adjustments include at least one of: 
 adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reorient towards a respective passive centralized receiver, and 
 adjusting each of the one or more passive centralized receivers to reorient towards a respective articulating secondary concentrator. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, at the tracking system, a seasonal displacement of the first focal line; and   adjusting the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the seasonal displacement in the first focal line, wherein seasonable displacement adjustments include at least one of:
 adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reorient the first optical surface to reflect secondary concentrated solar radiation towards a respective passive centralized receiver, and 
 adjusting each of the one or more passive centralized receivers to reorient towards a direction of secondary concentrated solar radiation being reflected from a respective articulating secondary concentrator. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting each of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to reorient the first optical surface includes activating orientation movement to the one or more articulating secondary concentrators, wherein the orientation movement includes at least one of rotation and vertical displacement. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein
 the one or more articulating secondary concentrators are positioned in approximately uniform orientation with respect to a first axis, and   adjusting the one or more articulating secondary concentrators to correct for the drift in the first focal line includes tracking a translational movement of the one or more articulating secondary concentrators along approximately the first axis.