Method and system for concentration of solar thermal energy

摘要

A solar thermal concentration system has a receiver, a rail system having a plurality of concentric rails circularly disposed about the receiver, a plurality of movable carts connected adjacent one another and spanning two concentric rails of the rail system, motor means on a movable cart dispersed in the plurality of movable carts, a heliostat mirror on a plurality of movable carts, and a controller for tracking the Sun and controlling a position of the array with respect to the receiver and the Sun. The plurality of movable carts over all of the concentric rails define an array of heliostat mirrors having a predetermined arc dimension configured to maximize mirror area based on cosine efficiency principle. Each heliostat mirror and each movable cart having motor means is in communication with the controller for moving the carts and heliostat mirrors with respect to the receiver and the Sun.

主权项

1. A solar thermal concentration system comprising:
a receiver; a rail system having a plurality of concentric rails circularly disposed about the receiver; an array of heliostat mirrors arranged on said rail system and movable on the rail system, the array being configured to maximize mirror area based on as principle of cosine efficiency; and a controller tracking the Sun, controlling a position of the array along as length of said rail system with respect to the receiver to maintain the array opposite the Sun and controlling rotational movement of each one of said heliostat mirrors about a respective single axis of rotation thereof, with respect to each other one of said heliostat mirrors, and dependent upon a solar elevation angle of the SUN.