General Dynamics (space Systems Division)

General Dynamics Corporation

David M Peterson

Theodore G Stern

Mickey Cornwall

Jon F Lawrence

A solar concentrator panel having an array of off axis cylindrical parabolic mirrors with an optical design of relatively short focal length solar cells arranged in line that converts sunlight to electricity. The back surface of the mirrors are used as the solar cell mount and the heat sink for the adjacent mirror. By appropriate positioning of the adjacent mirror so that the focal line of the parabola falls within the boundary or rim of the mirror reflected solar light can be directed to the solar cell mounted on the back of the adjacent mirror and converted to electricity

Solar concentrator array

A deployable/retractable photovoltaic concentrator solar array assembly for space applications that includes a plurality of solar array panels that are carried by a pantograph arm arrangement that is deployable to position the panels in a predetermined canted arrangement for receipt of solar radiation. Each panel includes a plurality of spaced cylindrical off axis parabolic mirrors that concentrate the reflected light on a line that falls upon a series of photovoltaic cells arranged longitudinally along the back of each mirror. The cylindrical parabolic mirrors are aligned with the cylindrical axis perpendicular to the axis about which the panels are canted, so that such canting causes no loss of focus. The array panels may be hardened to resist perceived threats and the pantograph arm arrangement is operable to position the array panels in a preferred orientation according to the nature of the threat. A preferred method of making the parabolic concentrator mirrors and assembling them into array panels is disclosed.

Depolyable retractable photovoltaic concentrator solar array assembly

A solar energy splitting photovoltaic concentrator system that includes a first reflector that concentrates and directs sunlight to a high energy bandgap first photovoltaic array that absorbs and converts into electricity high energy photons. A second reflector formed integrally with the first photovoltaic array concentrates and reflects low energy photons back through the first photovoltaic array, which is transparent to the low energy photon, to a low energy bandgap second photovoltaic array that absorbs and converts the low energy photons.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

David M Peterson