Patent ID: 9660125
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: F24S,H01L,Y02E,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method of making a solar concentrator, the method comprising: forming a receiving wall from a polymeric material with a reflective material incorporated therein for protection from exposure to concentrated sunlight, the receiving wall having an elongated wall, a first side wall extending from a first end of the elongated wall, and a second side wall extending from a second end of the elongated wall; forming a reflecting wall from an optically clear material and having a parabolic contour; attaching the receiving wall to the reflecting wall to form a housing having an internal volume with an opening into the internal volume, the opening having a vertical axis, such that the first side wall and the second side wall of the receiving wall are connected to the reflecting wall; forming a lip on the receiving wall and the reflecting wall; attaching a cover to the receiving wall and the reflecting wall at the lip to seal the opening into the internal volume, thereby creating a rigid structure; and mounting at least one receiver having at least one photovoltaic cell on the elongated wall of the receiving wall to receive solar radiation entering the housing through the opening and reflected by the receiving wall, the receiver having an axis parallel with a surface normal of the photovoltaic cell, such that the axis is disposed at a non-zero angle relative to the vertical axis of the opening.