Patent ID: 8127760

Claim:
A low-cost heliostatic mirror with inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance & survival, comprising: a mirror comprising thin reflective surface means for reflecting incident sunlight when the Sun is shining and visible; heliostatic control means for angular pointing of said mirror so as to cause said mirror to reflect said incident sunlight to form a reflected sunlight beam going to a target region at which a solar receiver can be located; perimeter support means for accurately setting and holding the perimeter of said thin reflective surface means in a desired orientation as commanded by said heliostatic control means; inflation stabilizable surface element means for enhancing adverse weather performance & survival for said mirror, which inflation stabilizable surface element means include substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located above an upper inflatable volume above the sunlight reflecting sunward side of said mirror, and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located below a lower inflatable volume below the nonsunward side of said mirror; and connecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means for encircling the lower perimeter of said lower inflatable volume and the upper perimeter of said upper inflatable volume respectively, which connecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means form a near-circular closed loop in circumferential tension when said lower inflated volume and upper inflatable volume are both fully inflated; and wherein: (a) said substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather performance for said mirror under adverse weather conditions comprising winds below a 1 st threshold level, when said upper inflatable volume and lower inflatable volume are fully inflated; and wherein: (b) said lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means serve as means for enhancing adverse weather survival for said mirror in a stowed survival configuration, under adverse weather conditions comprising at least one of severe winds below a 2 nd threshold level, serious frozen precipitation below a 3 rd threshold level and significant sandstorm particles below a 4 th threshold level, when said lower inflated volume is fully inflated.