초록 ▼

A central focus solar energy system consisting of one or more arrays of mirrors, a receiver for each array, a sun tracker, a sun tracker sun acquisition device and a control unit. Mirrors of the arrays are subjected to two-axis control by electromechanical devices actuated by sun-tracking error sign

A central focus solar energy system consisting of one or more arrays of mirrors, a receiver for each array, a sun tracker, a sun tracker sun acquisition device and a control unit. Mirrors of the arrays are subjected to two-axis control by electromechanical devices actuated by sun-tracking error signals generated by the sun tracker. Mirrors are thus oriented so as to cause reflections of the direct rays of the sun from all mirrors in an array to converge on a receiver at a common focus. Fixed (principal) axes of mirror rotation are parallel to the fixed (principal) axis of rotation of the sun tracker sensor making orientation of the system independent of the earth\s spin axis. The system includes a “vernier”or fine adjustment control for positioning mirrors that supplements sun tracker controls.

대표청구항 ▼

A central focus solar energy system whose operation is independent of the alignment of said system with respect to the spin axis of the earth, said system comprising: at least one mirror array means positioned to receive direct rays of the sun, each said mirror array means including a mirror array f

A central focus solar energy system whose operation is independent of the alignment of said system with respect to the spin axis of the earth, said system comprising: at least one mirror array means positioned to receive direct rays of the sun, each said mirror array means including a mirror array framework, said mirror array means including a plurality of rotatable mirrors for reflecting the direct rays of the sun on a common focus, said mirrors being mounted within said framework so that principal axes of rotation of mirrors are parallel and secondary axes of rotation of said mirrors are perpendicular to, intersect and rotate about said mirror principal axes of rotation at the center of rotation for each said mirror, said mirror array means including electromechanical positioning means for reorienting said mirrors in keeping with changes in the apparent position of the sun; a control unit means connected to components of the system for receiving electrical signals therefrom and generating electrical control signals in response thereto, said control unit being connected to each said mirror array means for transmitting electrical control signals to said electromechanical means to cause rotations of said mirrors; a sun tracker means electrically connected to said control unit that includes a sensor means for viewing the sun and generating electrical signals indicative of the misalignment of said sensor with respect to the sun that are transmitted to said control unit, said sun tracker including electromechanical positioning means electrically connected to said control unit for receiving control signals therefrom and orienting said sensor means to view the sun; a receiver means electrically connected to said control unit and mounted adjacent to said mirror array means, said receiver means including a radiation receiver surface facing said mirror array means, said receiver means including radiation detector means mounted adjacent to said radiation receiver surface for detecting when the center of the common focus of said mirror array means is not centered on said radiation receiver surface, said radiation detector means generating electrical signals indicative of the direction the common focus must be moved to be centered on said radiation receiver surface that are transmitted to said control unit, said control unit upon receiving a signal from said radiation detector means transmitting electrical control signals to said electromechanical means to cause rotations of said mirrors and operating to disable said sun tracker means to permit small corrections in orientations of said mirrors by said receiver means; tilt detector means electrically connected to said control unit and mounted in said system for detecting large anomalies between said sun tracker orientation and the direction of the sun that exceed the correction capabilities of the sun tracker, said tilt detector means generating electrical signals in response to such anomalies that are transmitted to said control unit which in turn transmits electrical control signals to said sun tracker means and said mirror array means to cause said sun tracker to acquire the sun, whereby after sun acquisition the sun tracker means and receiver means controlling the orientation of said rotatable mirrors.