Solar Energy Concentrator

Abstract

The invention discloses a solar concentrator that offers a low-cost option dimensioned for supplying energy to a household. The rays of the sun are reflected and concentrated to a point focus by a combination of fixed and movable reflectors, and the heat concentrated in that manner is directed to a stationary remote absorber from where it is used to generate energy to supply the house. A plurality of safety stoppers and barriers prevent accidental misdirection of the concentrated beam. The shape and geometric arrangement of the fixed portion of the reflector array is designed so that the average amount of light received by the stationary remote absorber is maximized for all solar positions within the system's working range.

1 . A solar energy concentrator system comprising:
 a primary concentrating reflector made up of multiple reflecting surfaces that are stationary with respect to earth and laid over a two-dimensional flat plane surface, all of said multiple reflecting surfaces cooperating to redirect the incident solar radiation towards a small primary target area;   a secondary redirecting reflector positioned near said small primary target area for redirecting the light concentrated by the primary concentrating reflector towards a remote absorber that is fixed with respect to earth, said secondary reflector presenting a reflective surface that is convex in design and being selectively movable above the flat plane of the primary reflector in two orthogonal dimensions that are both parallel to said flat plane;   wherein the secondary reflector is ball-pivotally connected to a mobile element that moves according to solar tracking data for allowing the secondary reflector to keep its concentrated light output pointed towards the stationary remote absorber while the movement of the sun across the sky causes the area of concentration of the light output by the primary reflector to change position.   
     
     
         2 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary, multiple reflecting surfaces are positioned on a two-dimensional plane, raise between 4″ and 15″ from said surface and present flat reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary, multiple reflecting surfaces are positioned on a two-dimensional plane, raise between 4″ and 15″ from said surface and present curved reflective surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary, multiple reflecting surfaces are laid on concentric rings positioned on the two-dimensional plane. 
     
     
         5 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary, multiple reflecting surfaces are laid in individual modules that can be assembled together to form the primary reflector. 
     
     
         6 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 5 , wherein the unitary modules are made of a single light-reflective material. 
     
     
         7 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile element is an elongate arm that has its distal end ball-pivotally connected to the secondary reflector and its proximal end ball-pivotally connected to a surface. 
     
     
         8 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 7 , wherein the elongate arm can telescope for selectively adjusting the distance between its proximal and distal ends. 
     
     
         9 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile element has the shape of an arcuate guide rail with both ends pivotally connected to a surface for tilting the arcuate guide rail and positions the secondary reflector, the latter being selectively slidable along the length of the arcuate guide rail. 
     
     
         10 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile element has the shape of a portion of an arcuate guide rail that is ball-pivotally connected at one end to the secondary reflector and ball-pivotally connected at the opposite end to a surface, the secondary reflector being selectively slidable along the length of the arcuate guide rail. 
     
     
         11 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 9  or  10 , wherein the secondary reflector is mounted such that it can be vertically extended up and down from any point along the arcuate guide rail. 
     
     
         12 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein proximal stoppers are positioned around the spherical pivot joint between the proximal end of the mobile element and its supporting surface, said proximal stoppers being mechanically fixed to said supporting surface for preventing the mobile element from reaching a position that could result in misdirection of the concentrated radiation output by the secondary redirecting reflector to an unintended target. 
     
     
         13 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 7 , wherein distal stoppers are positioned around the spherical pivot joint that connects the distal end of the mobile element to the secondary redirecting reflector, said distal stoppers being mechanically fixed to said distal end of the mobile element for preventing the secondary redirecting reflector from reaching a position that could result in misdirection of the concentrated radiation output by the secondary redirecting reflector to an unintended target. 
     
     
         14 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein a set of optical barriers are mechanically fixed to the extension of the mobile element that supports the secondary redirecting reflector for preventing the secondary redirecting reflector from reaching a position that could result in misdirection of the concentrated radiation output by the secondary redirecting reflector to an unintended target. 
     
     
         15 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape and geometric arrangement of the primary reflector's fixed, multiple reflecting surfaces is designed such that the average primary focus ring for all solar positions within the system's working range has its size minimized. 
     
     
         16 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape and geometric arrangement of the primary reflector's fixed, multiple reflecting surfaces is designed such that for a fixed size of the secondary reflector the average amount of light received by the stationary remote absorber is maximized for all solar positions within the system's working range. 
     
     
         17 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the shape and geometric arrangement of the primary reflector's fixed, multiple reflecting surfaces is designed such that the average amount of light received by the stationary remote absorber is not maximized for any particular solar position within the system's working range. 
     
     
         18 . A solar energy concentrator system according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary reflector's fixed, multiple reflecting surfaces are designed to emulate the optical behavior of a continuous parabolic reflecting surface for maximizing the average amount of light reflected for all solar positions within the system's working range. 
     
     
         19 . A solar energy concentrator system comprising:
 a primary concentrating reflector made up of multiple reflecting surfaces that are stationary with respect to earth and laid over a two-dimensional flat plane surface, all of said multiple reflecting surfaces cooperating to redirect the incident solar radiation towards a small primary target area;   an absorber positioned near said small primary target area for absorbing the light concentrated by the primary concentrating reflector, said absorber presenting an external surface that is rounded in design and being selectively movable above the flat plane of the primary reflector in two orthogonal dimensions that are both parallel to said flat plane;   wherein said absorber is connected to a mobile element that moves according to solar tracking data for continually positioning the absorber in said small primary target area while the movement of the sun across the sky causes the small primary target area to change position.