Patent ID: 8844515
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: F03G,F24S,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A heliostat for reflecting sunlight onto a solar receiver of a solar tower system, the heliostat comprising: a carousel including: a D-shaped base, as viewed from above, including a D-shaped, as viewed from above, peripheral edge structure forming a first curved wall surrounding a central region, the D-shaped base being movably disposed on a support surface such that the peripheral edge structure is rotatable around a central axis located in the central region, a tilt-angle control mechanism comprising a second curved wall concentrically disposed and rotatably supported by the first curved wall such that the second curved wall is capable of rotational and vertical movement with respect to the first curved wall, and a mirror array including a plurality of substantially parallel, elongated flat mirrors arranged in a low-profile, substantially horizontal plane and disposed in the central region, each elongated flat mirror being movably connected to the first curved wall and the second curved wall such that said each elongated flat mirror is maintained in a corresponding tilt angle; and a mirror positioning system fixedly disposed adjacent to the D-shaped base of the carousel, the mirror positioning system including: a solar elevation tracking controller including means operably connected to the second curved wall for adjusting the tilt angle of each of the plurality of elongated flat mirrors in accordance with a determined sun elevation angle such that sunlight directed onto the mirror array from said determined sun elevation angle is reflected by all of the plurality of elongated flat mirrors onto the solar receiver, and a solar azimuth tracking controller including means for adjusting the rotational position of the mirror array around the central axis in accordance with a determined sun azimuth angle such that sunlight directed onto the mirror array along said determined sun azimuth angle is reflected by all of the plurality of elongated flat mirrors onto the solar receiver of the solar tower system.