Method and apparatus for tracking the sun for use in a solar collector with linear focusing means

摘要

The invention introduces a coplanar rotational method of tracking the sun for use in a focusing solar collector that comprises of one or more linear focusing means such as cylindrical parabolic mirrors and linear lenses. Such a solar collector has one or more linear focal regions. It is particularly advantageous to use this tracking method in a large panel collector having multitude of linear focusing means. A plane parallel to the linear focal region or regions and perpendicular to the front plane of a solar collector is denoted as a focal plane. In applying the tracking method to the solar collector, the collector is rotated around an axis perpendicular to the front plane so that the sun'rays become parallel to the focal plane. The front plane remains substantially on the same plane during the tracking operation.