Abstract:
The system captures and concentrates sunlight for transmission to interior spaces or to a PV system. A solar collector uses arrayed refractive lenses (22), opposing concave focusing mirrors (88), and a movable coupling sheet (30) forming part of a lightguide. The lenses and mirrors have an asymmetric shape, such as having aspect ratios of 3:4 or 1:2, so as to have an asymmetric aperture to better receive light at the different ranges of angles of the sun's rays over the course of a year. The long axis of the apertures is generally oriented in an East-West. The movable sheet contains small angled mirrors (32), and the sheet is translated to position the angled mirrors at the focal points of the sunlight for maximum deflection of the sunlight to an output of the collection system. A position sensor provides feedback regarding the position of the angled mirrors relative to the focal points.
Abstract:
Linse (10), die Linse (10) umfassende Solarzelleneinheit (40) und Fügeverfahren für die Solarzelleneinheit (40), wobei die Linse einen Grundkörper (20) mit einer im Wesentlichen planen Unterseite (22), einer der Unterseite (22) gegenüberliegenden Empfangsfläche (24), einem die Unterseite (22) und die Empfangsfläche (24) verbindenden, seitlichen Oberflächenbereich (26) und einer senkrecht zu der Unterseite (22) verlaufenden optischen Achse (28) aufweist und an dem Grundkörper (20) der Linse (10) in einer ersten Höhe (h1) über der Unterseite (22) auf dem seitlichen Oberflächenbereich (26) mindestens eine Ausbuchtung (30, 32, 34, 36) angeordnet ist.
Abstract:
A system for providing a solar harvesting building envelope is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of solar harvesting apparatus configured to be installed as or on a building envelope in manner like that of traditional shingles or siding. The apparatus includes a frame having a photovoltaic end wall, as well as reflective base and side walls. A translucent, wedge- shaped body layer is positioned on the frame. A luminescent species film is positioned at and substantially parallel to a base of the wedge-shaped body layer, such that the luminescent species film is positioned at an angle relative to the photovoltaic end wall. Light incident on the wedge- shaped body layer is concentrated towards the photovoltaic end wall, such as through absorption and re-emission along with scattering by the luminescent species film and internal reflection by the wedge-shaped body layer and the reflective base and side walls of the frame. A plurality of apparatus may be wired together to create the building envelope, which has the added advantage of substantially eliminating shading losses of traditional solar harvesting systems.
Abstract:
: A radiation concentrator incorporating a main radiation concentrator (160) and an auxiliary radiation concentrator (161) that concentrates the incident radiation to the common receiver (3) is presented. The primary reflector (1) of the main concentrator (160) consists of two confocal parabolic reflectors (5a & 5b) on either side of the axial plane in such a way that their parabolic axes points at the centers of the diagonally opposite halves of the radiation source. The main concentrator (160) is configured in such a way that a part of the radiation reflected from every point on its primary reflector (1) is absorbed by the receiver (3) directly and its secondary reflector (2) reflects the other part of the radiation to the receiver (3). The auxiliary concentrator (161) concentrates a substantial part of the incident radiation, which would have been blocked by the secondary reflector (2), to the receiver (3).
Abstract:
According to embodiments of the present invention, a lighting apparatus is provided. The lighting apparatus includes a light guiding arrangement, a light collection arrangement adapted to collect sunlight, the light guiding arrangement being optically coupled to the light collection arrangement to receive at least a portion of the sunlight collected for propagation through the light guiding arrangement, and a light source arrangement configured to generate an illumination light, the light guiding arrangement being optically coupled to the light source arrangement to receive at least a portion of the illumination light for propagation through the light guiding arrangement. According to further embodiments of the present invention, methods of forming a lighting apparatus are also provided.
Abstract:
A generally plano rectangular louvers are capable of being ganged in a stacked tiltable array to enhance light re-direction when titled to follow the solar elevation. Combinations of features and optical characteristic avoid optical artifacts and enhance efficiency of light utilization and manufacturing. Different louvers can be combined in alternative ways in such arrays.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an articulating heliostat, comprising a mirror panel, a support frame, a plurality of flexures, and a drive mechanism. The mirror panel includes a top, reflective surface and a bottom surface. A support frame may include tubular support members and cross-members. Flexures are capable of coupling the mirror panel to the tubular support members and the drive mechanism articulates the mirror panel. The device and related methods accommodate differential thermal expansion and limits energy loss due to slop errors.
Abstract:
A radiation concentrator, giving good concentration ratio when employed as a solar collector, incorporating a primary reflector (1) consisting of a pair of confocal uneven parabolic reflectors (5a and 5b) arranged on either side of an axis (103), a receiver (3) placed at the common focus (4) of the uneven parabolic reflectors, a pair of secondary reflectors (2) placed above the receiver (3) engulfing it. The uneven parabolic reflectors have their common focus (4) at the axis (103) and are rotated around the focus, in opposite direction, through an angle (157) that is 1/4 th of the angle subtended by the radiation source. The receiver (3) is configured to absorb the upper half of the reflected radiation and the secondary reflectors (2) are configured to re-reflect the lower half of the reflected radiation to the receiver (3).
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates generally to light management constructions comprising microstructured prismatic elements useful in the preparation of sun-facing light redirecting films having reduced glare.
Abstract:
A solar energy concentrating lens assembly formed from a support frame and a plurality of lens segments each comprising an internal pocket to contain a fluid to form a concentrating lens.