The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 09, 1978
Filed:
Sep. 02, 1976
Donald E Anderson, Northfield, MN (US);
Suntec Systems, Inc., Lakeville, MN (US);
Abstract
A solar heat concentrator-collector comprising, in combination, solar radiation concentrator means and collector means for receiving the concentrated solar energy and providing for conversion of the energy into usable or more readily convertable form. The concentrator means may be any of a variety of concentrators known and used in the art, however the collector means of the present invention functions extremely well with a line focus Fresnel array, the array including a plurality of generally parallelly disposed elongated self-supporting elements or panels each with a reflective surface, and with each element or panel having means for positioning its reflective surface in an operative solar viewing disposition. The collector means when adapted for use with a line focus Fresnel array includes an energy absorbing means such as one or more conduits, each having a fluid heat transfer medium moving therethrough, and with an improved shroud enclosing at least a portion of the collector, the shroud comprising a radiation permeable member having an outer surface concave to the concentrator and defining a transmissive path for a substantial portion of the incident radiation. The configuration of the surface of the radiation permeable member provides a re-entrant path for any radiation which is reflected from the surface thereof. The conduit carrying the heat transfer medium has a closed cross-section such as an elongated member of circular or rectangular cross-section to form a cylinder, or other regular structure, and with the axis of the fluid transfer conduit or conduits being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the array of reflective surfaces or panels. A substantial portion of the fluid transfer duct is arranged to view the concentrator means at or along a line substantially at or adjacent the focal point of the concentrator. That portion of the peripheral surface of the collector which comprises the concentrator viewing surface is normally a double-plate or double-glazed arrangement of spaced apart parallelly disposed panels providing a thermal transfer barrier, and the remaining portion of the collector is likewise preferably thermally insulated.