Patent ID: 8058546

Claim:
Apparatus comprising a compound parabolic concentrating trough for concentrating sunlight, said trough having a reflective inner surface for concentrating sunlight entering the trough through an entry aperture at an upper end of the trough from within a plus and a minus acceptance angle and directing said concentrated sunlight to a bottom of the trough, said compound parabolic concentrating trough being symmetric with respect to a plane of symmetry, a target positioned at the bottom of the trough for absorbing the sunlight concentrated by the trough, a plurality of sunlight diverters connected to the trough by a frame for rotation with the trough, said plurality of sunlight diverters being positioned within the plus and minus acceptance angles outside of the entry aperture to the trough and extending outwardly from the entry aperture, the plurality of sunlight diverters being positioned in a plane perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the trough and parallel to a plane occupied by the target, for diverting sunlight impinging onto the plurality of sunlight diverters into the entry aperture of the trough when the sun is positioned on the plane of symmetry, to increase the sunlight received by the trough when the sun is positioned on the plane of symmetry, and a tracker connected to the trough to rotate the trough together with the plurality of sunlight diverters about a longitudinal axis of the trough to orient the trough so that the sun is positioned on the plane of symmetry and direct sunlight is received by the trough.