Solar energy collecting and compounding device

Abstract

A solar collection device is disclosed. The device includes mirrors for intensifying the collected solar energy. The output of the mirrors can be used to heat air or water or other fluids as well as ores or solids. In addition, artificial light can be used to supplement the solar energy.

Description

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/201,979 filed Dec. 17, 2008

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the field of solar energy collecting devices. In particular, the present invention is directed to a mirror configuration that will concentrate solar energy and will efficiently produce high temperature and energy levels. The present invention is used to gather solar energy and, through a unique and novel design, to focus and intensify the solar beams. The output of the present invention can be utilized in conventional devices to heat hot water, air or other fluids and to intensely heat ores, liquids or chemical compounds to produce chemical and physical changes as well as other similar applications. For applications where interruptions in operations must be minimized, such as a plasma converter, the embodiment can include provisions for artificial light to supplement solar energy or substitute for solar energy.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Solar energy is collected and intensified by a system that consists of two stages. The first tracks the sun and gathers and directs the solar energy by means of an optical device, such as an assembly of paraboloidal mirrors or a fresnel lens, to a focal point which corresponds with the focal point of a paraboloidal mirror. This stage will produce parallel radiant energy of greater intensity than the solar energy collected. This parallel stream of radiant energy is transmitted to the second stage which focuses and intensifies the energy by an assembly of metal paraboloidal mirrors. The stationary second stage delivers energy to a focal point where it is utilized to heat fluids or utilized by furnaces or reactors where it produces chemical or physical changes to ore or solid and liquid chemical compounds. The heated fluids are useful to heat or air condition buildings or provide heat for manufacturing processes. The furnaces or reactors are used to provide intense heat for industrial processes. By intensifying the energy levels, materials can be converted to a plasma state without requiring vast areas of conventional reflective mirrors or lenses. By combining stages in parallel or series, the system will provide the amount of energy and the temperature needed for specific applications. The ratio of sizes and focal lengths of the optical device and paraboloidal mirror of stage 1 determine the intensity of the output from stage 1. In addition, as an element of other systems, the orientation of stage 2 can be reversed so that energy focused at a point can be the input and the output would be parallel beams of energy. This particular use would provide an extension of the systems.

Furthermore, at times when solar energy levels are too low to normally be used effectively, the system will intensify the energy and elevate the temperatures to a useful level. For installations generally requiring continuous operation, the embodiment includes sources of artificial light with automatic controls to activate and regulate the intensity of the artificial light.

The solar energy collecting system of the present invention comprises an optical device for collecting solar energy with a first focal point wherein the collecting optical device functions to intensify the solar energy by focusing the solar energy at the first focal point; a paraboloidal mirror with a second focal point for receiving the solar energy from the collecting lens at the first focal point wherein the paraboloidal mirror further intensifies the solar energy by receiving the solar energy at the second focal point and then produces and redirects a parallel stream of solar energy to an optical device with a third focal point for receiving the redirected solar energy from the first paraboloidal mirror for intensifying the solar energy and redirecting the solar energy to a third focal point whereby the solar energy can be utilized for heating purposes and a tracking system such that the collecting lens and the first paraboloidal mirror will rotate during daylight hours to follow the sun and optimize the collection of solar energy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, illustrating the various components of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an optical device assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the second stage of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates artificial light provisions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in terms of the presently preferred embodiment thereof. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many obvious modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

The solar collecting system 10 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. Stage 1 consists of the solar collecting system 10 and the tracking system 14. The system 10 comprises a collecting optical device 12 or similar optical devices such as a fresnel lens or a paraboloidal mirror. In addition, it comprises a paraboloidal mirror 24. The axis of mirror of 24 is parallel to shaft 11 that passes through the focal point. The plane of the mirror 24 is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 11. The collecting lens 12 is connected to a solar tracking system 14 so that the lens 12 can move during the course of a day so as to be optimally positioned to collect solar energy during the daylight hours. Mirror 12 rotates and tilts as it tracks the sun while the paraboloidal mirror 24 rotates by means of shaft 11 but does not tilt. The optical collecting device assembly may include other configurations of the paraboloidal mirrors and flat mirrors which allows parallel streams of energy to enter one end and exit the other end to converge to a single focus point.

The solar tracking system 14 is also illustrated in FIG. 1. The solar tracking system 14 is generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art and comprises a master tracking control 16, a rotational control electric motor 18, a gear drive 20, electric tilt control 22, and structural support 23. The collecting mirror 12 is mounted on the arm and gear 19. The structural support 23 will support the tilt track and control drive 22 and tilt mechanism arm and gear 19. The gear device turns a shaft 11 that is supported by bearings 13. As it turns, the shaft 11 will rotate the collecting optical device 12. In addition, the collecting optical device 12 will tilt about Point B on axis A-A so that the focal point of the collecting optical device 12 will correspond exactly with the focal point of the paraboloidal mirror 24 and Point B thus directing radiant energy from the mirror 24 toward the intensifying mirrors 25 and parallel with the rotational tracking shaft 11. Mirror 24 is shown offset from the shaft 11 center line however the preferred position of mirror 24 is such that the center line of the output beam of energy from mirror 24 is centered on the shaft 11 center line.

The collecting optical device 12 and paraboloidal mirror 24 focuses the solar energy received there through onto the parabolic intensifying mirrors 25. The second stage parabolic reflecting mirrors 25 are further described below in connection with FIG. 2.

The intensifying mirror assembly 25 shown in FIG. 2 will now be described in detail. The mirror assembly 25 is generally cylindrical in shape and will be mounted on a base 26. The cylindrical shape provides ring shaped surfaces 28 with dimple shape mirrors 32 on the interior that reflect the solar energy and direct it to a central focus point 30. Initially, the solar energy will contact parabolic surfaces 28 & 32 located along the central axis of the reflective mirrors 28 & 32. The energy will then impact the conical surfaces 29 and be reflected to the central focus point 30.

The intensifying mirrors 28 and dimple mirrors 32 may be constructed of plastic with a reflective film on the interior in the case of moderate temperature applications. The range of temperatures at the point of focus can reach 2000° F. For higher temperature applications in the range of 30,000° F. at the point of focus, the entire assembly 25 should be comprised of chromium plated stainless steel or other similar materials to withstand the operating temperatures they will be subjected to, in the range of 1,000° F. to 1,100° F. If necessary, fans may be used to circulate cooling air on any mirror or through the cylindrical assembly. Any optical device with parabolic or paraboloidal operational characteristics may be substituted for the corresponding parabolic or paraboloidal mirrors.

An alternate version of stage 2 is illustrated in FIG. 3 and comprises a plurality of solar collection and intensifying systems 10, as described above, can be utilized in a parallel configuration. In this way, several streams of intensified solar energy can be combined and utilized as a heat source for a furnace, hot water heater, etc. The alternate version of stage 2 consists of flat mirrors 33 and paraboloidal mirror 34 with axis 52. Energy streams from the plurality of systems 10 that will contact mirrors 33 and be reflected to paraboloidal mirror 34 and thence to focus point 35. The preferred embodiment of mirror 34 is paraboloidal but a Fresnel lens or a spherical mirror can be used. A heat pipe 36 is shown encompassing one of the streams of energy 33. Heat pipes can be used to encompass any stream of energy.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment for the use of artificial light for night operation or periods of reduced levels of solar energy. A very high level of artificial light is produced by an incandescent clear glass point source of radiant energy or an arc light 38, an electric power source and support 44, an automatic electrical control and regulator 45, a support 50, Fresnel lenses 37 and 39, flat plate chrome-plated mirrors 40 and 41, paraboloidal mirror 43, support 48, control circuitry 51 from intensity detector 51 and intensifying mirror 25.

Energy from source 38 flows along three (3) paths: (a) to Fresnel lens 37 to intensifying lens 25; or (b) to Fresnel lens 39 to flat mirrors 41 and 42 to intensifying mirror 25; or (c) to paraboloidal mirror 43 to intensifying mirror 25. The output of source 38 is regulated by intensity detector 51 via control circuitry 52 and regulator 45.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing are merely embodiments of the present invention and many obvious modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1) A solar energy collecting system comprising:

a) A collecting optical device for collecting solar energy with a first focal point wherein the collecting optical device functions to intensify the solar energy by focusing the solar energy at the first focal point;

b) A first paraboloidal mirror with a second focal point for receiving the solar energy from the collecting optical device at the first focal point wherein the first paraboloidal mirror further intensifies the solar energy by receiving the solar energy at the second focal point and then outputs and redirects the solar energy;

c) An intensifying optical device assembly with a third focal point for receiving the redirected solar energy from the first paraboloidal mirror for intensifying the solar energy and redirecting the solar energy to a third focal point whereby the solar energy can be utilized for heating purposes; and

d) A tracking system such that the collecting optical device and the first paraboloidal mirror will rotate during daylight hours to follow the sun and optimize the collection of solar energy.

2) solar energy collecting system of claim 1 wherein the intensifying optical device assembly further comprises a series of parabolic cylinders and flat mirrors concentrically disposed inside a cylinder whereby the redirected solar energy from the intensifying mirror assembly is directed to the third focal point.

3) solar energy collecting system of claim 1 wherein the system further comprises an artificial light source for use when solar energy is not available.

4) solar energy collecting system of claim 3 wherein the artificial light source comprises an incandescent light source.

5) solar energy collecting system of claim 3 when the artificial light source comprises a plasma nozzle.

6) solar energy collecting system of claim 2 whereby the collecting optical device comprises a fresnel lens.

7) solar energy collecting system of claim 2 whereby the collecting optical device comprises a second paraboloidal mirror.

8) A solar energy collecting system comprising:

a) A first optical collecting device for collecting solar energy with a first focal point where the first optical device functions to intensify the solar energy by focusing the solar energy at the first focal point and then redirecting the solar energy from the first focal point;

b) A paraboloidal mirror with a second focal point for receiving the redirected solar energy from the first optical device at the second focal point wherein the paraboloidal mirror further intensifies the solar energy by focusing the solar energy from the second focal point and produces and redirects a parallel stream of solar energy to an intensifying solar device;

c) An intensifying optical device with a third focal point for receiving the redirected solar energy from the second optical device for intensifying the solar energy and redirecting the solar energy to a third focal point whereby the solar energy can be utilized for heating purposes; and

d) A tracking system such that the first parabolic mirror and the second parabolic mirror will rotate during daylight hours to follow the sun and optimize the collection of solar energy.

9) A solar energy collecting system comprising a plurality of solar energy collecting units wherein each of the solar energy collecting units comprise: wherein each of the plurality of solar energy collecting units redirect the solar energy from each of the third focal points to a paraboloidal mirror with a fourth focal point whereby the solar energy at the fourth focal point can be used for heating purposes.

a) A collecting optical device for collecting solar energy with a first focal point wherein the collecting optical device functions to intensify the solar energy by focusing the solar energy at the first focal point and then redirecting the solar energy from the first focal point;

b) A paraboloidal mirror with a second focal point for receiving the solar energy from the collecting optical device at the first focal point wherein the paraboloidal mirror further intensifies the solar energy by focusing the solar energy at the second focal point and then outputs a parallel stream of solar energy from the second focal point;

c) An intensifying optical device with a third focal point for receiving the solar energy from the paraboloidal mirror for intensifying the solar energy and redirecting the solar energy to a third focal point;

10) solar energy collecting system of claim 9 wherein the optical collecting device comprises a second paraboloidal mirror.

11) solar energy collecting system of claim 9 wherein the optical collecting device comprises a fresnel lens.

12) solar energy collecting system of claim 9 wherein the intensifying optical device assembly further comprises a series of parabolic cylinders and flat mirrors concentrically disposed inside a cylinder whereby the redirected solar energy from the intensifying mirror assembly is directed to the third focal point.