Concentrating solar energy collector

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus by which solar energy may be collected to provide electricity or a combination of heat and electricity are disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A concentrating solar energy collector comprising:
 a linearly elongated reflector having a linear focus;   a linearly elongated receiver oriented parallel to the linear focus of the reflector and fixed in position with respect to the reflector, the receiver comprising solar cells that in operation of the solar energy collector are illuminated by solar radiation concentrated by the reflector onto the receiver; and   a support structure supporting the reflector and the receiver and pivotally mounted to accommodate rotation of the support structure, the reflector, and the receiver about a rotation axis parallel to the linear focus of the reflector;   wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of linearly elongated reflective elements each having a long axis, and the linearly elongated reflective elements are arranged in two or more parallel side-by-side rows with the rows and the long axes of the linearly elongated reflective elements oriented parallel to the linear focus of the reflector;   wherein each row of linearly elongated reflective elements includes two or more of the linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end such that gaps or joints between the linearly elongated reflective elements in each row are not next to gaps or joints between linearly elongated reflective elements in an adjacent row; and   wherein in each row of linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end each gap or joint between linearly elongated reflective elements is separated from its nearest neighbor gap or joint in the other rows of linearly elongated reflective elements by at least one row of linearly elongated reflective elements.   
     
     
         2 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the linearly elongated reflective elements are of two different lengths. 
     
     
         3 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein in each row of linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end each gap or joint between linearly elongated reflective elements is separated from its nearest neighbor gap or joint in the other rows of linearly elongated reflective elements by at least two rows of linearly elongated reflective elements. 
     
     
         4 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 3 , wherein the linearly elongated reflective elements are of three different lengths. 
     
     
         5 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the linearly elongated reflective elements are flat or substantially flat transverse to their long axes. 
     
     
         6 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the reflector has a parabolic curvature transverse to the long axis of the receiver. 
     
     
         7 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises coolant channels accommodating flow of liquid coolant in thermal contact with the solar cells. 
     
     
         8 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises a lower surface oriented horizontally above the reflector to receive solar radiation concentrated by the reflector. 
     
     
         9 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver comprises first and second lower surfaces arranged to form a V-shape above the reflector, with a section of the reflector on one side of the receiver arranged to focus solar radiation onto the first surface and a section of the reflector on the other side of the receiver arranged to focus solar radiation onto the second surface. 
     
     
         10 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a torque tube extending along the rotation axis and a plurality of transverse reflector supports extending away from the rotation axis to support the reflector. 
     
     
         11 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 10 , wherein the support structure comprises a slew gear at an end of the torque tube, the slew gear driving rotation of the reflector, the receiver, and the support structure about the rotation axis. 
     
     
         12 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 11 , wherein the slew gear is shared with and also drives rotation of another solar energy collector. 
     
     
         13 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiver comprises a lower surface oriented horizontally above the reflector to receive solar radiation concentrated by the reflector;   the linearly elongated reflective elements are flat or substantially flat transverse to their long axes; and   the reflector has a parabolic curvature transverse to the long axis of the receiver.   
     
     
         14 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 13 , wherein the receiver comprises coolant channels accommodating flow of liquid coolant in thermal contact with the solar cells. 
     
     
         15 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 13 , wherein the linearly elongated reflective elements are of two different lengths. 
     
     
         16 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 13 , wherein in each row of linearly elongated reflective elements arranged end-to-end each gap or joint between linearly elongated reflective elements is separated from its nearest neighbor gap or joint in the other rows of linearly elongated reflective elements by at least two rows of linearly elongated reflective elements. 
     
     
         17 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 16 , wherein the linearly elongated reflective elements are of three different lengths. 
     
     
         18 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 13 , wherein the support structure comprises:
 a torque tube extending along the rotation axis and a plurality of transverse reflector supports extending away from the rotation axis to support the reflector; and   a slew gear at an end of the torque tube, the slew gear driving rotation of the reflector, the receiver, and the support structure about the rotation axis.   
     
     
         19 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 18 , wherein the slew gear is shared with and also drives rotation of another solar energy collector. 
     
     
         20 . The concentrating solar energy collector of  claim 19 , wherein the receiver comprises coolant channels accommodating flow of liquid coolant in thermal contact with the solar cells.