Patent ID: 8669462
Filing Date: 2014-03-11
Classification: F24S,H01L,H02S,Y02B,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A concentrating solar energy collector comprising: a linearly elongated reflector having a linear focus; a linearly elongated receiver oriented parallel to and located at or approximately at the linear focus of the reflector and fixed in position with respect to the reflector; 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 on and attached to a sheet of metal in two or more parallel side-by-side rows with the long axes of the linearly elongated reflective elements and the rows oriented parallel to the linear focus of the reflector, the sheet of metal providing longitudinal support parallel to the rotation axis along the length of the linearly elongated reflective elements; wherein the reflector has a reflective surface that is or approximates a portion of a parabolic surface, with the reflector located primarily or entirely on one side of a symmetry plane of the parabolic surface; and wherein the support to which the sheet of metal is attached, the transverse reflector supports structure comprises a plurality of transverse reflector supports supporting the reflector and extending transverse to the rotation axis and a corresponding plurality of receiver supports each connected to and extending from only one outer end of its corresponding transverse reflector support to support the receiver above the reflector, with the receiver supports located along an edge of the reflector adjacent the symmetry plane of the parabolic surface.