AUTONOMOUS HELIOSTAT FOR SOLAR POWER PLANT

• US 20090260619A1
• Filed: 04/20/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bailey, Lee, Jones, Russell K., Caldwell, Douglas W.
• Application Number:
  US12/106,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260619A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/578
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/20 Solar heat collectors for receiving concentrated solar energy, e.g. receivers for solar power plants
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2023/87 Reflectors layout
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/77 with flat reflective plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/10 extending in directions away from a supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/452 Vertical primary axis
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/10 Supporting structures directly fixed to the ground H02S20/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/32 specially adapted for solar tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/22 Light-reflecting or light-concentrating means directly associated with the PV cell or integrated with the PV cell H01L31/054
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

Heliostat operation under significantly reduced infrastructure requirements is disclosed. As part of a larger solar power generation system, a heliostat may function autonomously to track the sun and maintain constant reflection of solar radiation to a collection device for conversion to electrical power. The heliostat employs a local independent solar power supply to provide power to the positioning mechanism and controller for the heliostat. The controller receives sun position information from a sensor and/or a predetermined schedule. In addition, the controller for the heliostat may incorporate a wireless communications device for remote monitoring and directing operations of the heliostat.

Claims

1. A heliostat, comprising:

a reflective surface for reflecting at least a first portion of received solar radiation to a collection device;

a positioning mechanism coupled to the reflective surface for positioning the reflective surface;

a controller for controlling the positioning mechanism to reflect at least the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device; and

a solar power supply for converting a second portion of the received solar radiation to electrical power provided to the positioning mechanism and the controller.

2. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein the solar power supply comprises battery storage for the converted electrical power.

3. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein the solar power supply comprises a photovoltaic panel for converting the second portion of the received solar radiation to the electrical power.

4. The heliostat of claim 3, wherein the photovoltaic panel is disposed behind the reflective surface and the reflective surface comprises a dichroic surface for transmitting the second portion of the solar radiation through the reflective surface to the photovoltaic panel.

5. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a wireless communication device for receiving sun location information remotely.

6. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein the controller operates to control the positioning mechanism to reflect the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device applying sun location information from a sensor.

7. The heliostat of claim 6, wherein the sensor is disposed with the heliostat.

8. The heliostat of claim 6, wherein the sensor is remotely located and the controller comprises a wireless communication device for receiving the sun location information from the remotely located sensor.

9. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein the controller operates to control the positioning mechanism to reflect the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device applying sun location information from a predetermined schedule.

10. The heliostat of claim 9, wherein the controller comprises a wireless communication device for receiving the sun location information from the predetermined schedule.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein sun location information from a predetermined schedule is applied in controlling the positioning mechanism to reflect at least the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving sun location information from the predetermined schedule by the controller with a wireless communication device.

11. A method of operating a heliostat, comprising:

reflecting at least a first portion of received solar radiation to a collection device with a reflective surface;

positioning the reflective surface with a positioning mechanism coupled to the reflective surface;

controlling the positioning mechanism with a controller to reflect at least the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device; and

converting a second portion of the received solar radiation to electrical power with a solar power supply, the electrical power provided to the positioning mechanism and the controller.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the converted electrical power from the solar power supply in a battery storage.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein converting the second portion of the received solar radiation to the electrical power with the solar power supply is performed by a photovoltaic panel.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the second portion of the solar radiation through the reflective surface to the photovoltaic panel the photovoltaic panel disposed behind the reflective surface;

wherein the reflective surface comprises a dichroic surface.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving sun location information remotely by the controller with a wireless communication device;

wherein the sun location information is applied in controlling the positioning mechanism to reflect the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving sun location information by the controller from a sensor;

wherein the sun location information is applied in controlling the positioning mechanism to reflect the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sensor is disposed with the heliostat.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the sun location information is received remotely by the controller with a wireless communication device.

21. A heliostat, comprising:

a reflective means for reflecting at least a first portion of received solar radiation to a collection device;

a positioning means coupled to the reflective surface for positioning the reflective surface;

a controller means for controlling the positioning mechanism to reflect at least the first portion of the received solar radiation to the collection device; and

a solar power supply means for converting a second portion of the received solar radiation to electrical power provided to the positioning mechanism and the controller.