Fiber optic power-generating system

• US 5,501,743 A
• Filed: 08/11/1994
• Issued: 03/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matthew Cherney
• Original Assignee: Matthew Cherney
• Inventors: Cherney, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US08/289,285
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 136/246, 136/248, 126/684, 126/698-699, 126/663, 126/675, 126/683, 126/700
• US Class Current: 136/248
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/12 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/30 with lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0543 comprising light concentrating means of the refractive type, e.g. lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0547 comprising light concentrating means of the reflecting type, e.g. parabolic mirrors, concentrators using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators

Abstract

A fiber optical solar power generating system provides a tower outside a structure to be supplied with solar energy and on which a multiplicity of collectors are provided. An optical fiber trunk carries the collected optical energy to the structure in which a photovoltaic and/or a light/heat transducing stack can be provided and to which light is distributed from the optical fiber trunk so that the transducers need not occupy large areas of the property.

Claims

1. A fiber-optic power generating system, comprising:

an elongated tower positioned apart from a structure to be supplied with power;

a multiplicity of circularly shaped solar-light collectors on said tower spaced apart over the height of the tower and around the periphery thereof;

respective optical fibers assigned to said collectors and transmitting light therefrom, said optical fibers being formed into an optical fiber trunk extending from said tower into said structure; and

within said structure a stack of energy transducing plates each receiving at least one optical fiber from said trunk and provided with means for distributing light delivered by an optical fiber over the respective plate for producing energy utilized at least in part within said structure, said stack being a stack of photovoltaic plates generating electrical energy, at least some of said plates being electrically connected in series, and an optically conductive plate juxtaposed with each photovoltaic plate and having a light diffusion surface facing the respective photovoltaic plate, said optical fibers terminating at an edge of each of said optically conductive plates.

2. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 1, further comprising storage means connected to said stack for storing electrical energy produced thereby.

3. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 2, further comprising an inverter connected to said storage means for produce alternating current for electrically supplying said structure.

4. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 1 wherein said stack is a stack of chambered plates each having means for converting incident light to heat and means for circulating a fluid to be heated therethrough.

5. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 1 wherein each of said collectors includes a lens.

6. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 1, further comprising reflector means at said tower for reflecting solar energy on to at least one of said collectors.

7. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said collectors has a generally mushroom shape with a spherically convex portion and a stem extending from said spherically convex portion.

8. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 7 wherein said spherically convex portion is provided with an array of lenses focussed inward, and within said spherically convex portion at least one optical fiber element receiving light from a respective lens and conducting light along said stem.

9. The fiber-optic power generating system defined in claim 7 wherein a stem of one mushroom-shaped collector fits into a spherically convex portion of another mushroom-shaped collector to form a stack of said collectors.

10. A photovoltaic system which comprises:

a stack of photovoltaic plates;

respective light distributors juxtaposed with each of said plates, said light distributors being sandwiched between pairs of photovoltaic plates of the stack; and

respective light-delivering optical fibers connected to each of said light distributors for supplying light thereto, each of said light distributors including a brush plate of optical fiber bristles juxtaposed with each photovoltaic plate.

11. A fiber optic power generating system which comprises:

solar-light collecting means disposed apart from a structure to which power is to be supplied and formed with a multiplicity of individual mutually spaced solar collectors at least some of which are turned toward the sun;

respective optical conductors assigned to said collectors for conducting light therefrom, said optical conductors forming an optical conductor trunk running from said solar light collecting means into said structure;

a stack of energy transducing plates in said structure, each terminating one of said conductors for distributing light therefrom, said plates being spaced apart in said stack to define liquid flow chambers therebetween, said chambers having blackened and roughened walls for facilitating transfer of thermal energy from said plates to a heat-transfer liquid; and

means in said structure for circulating said liquid through said stack, thereby extracting heat from said stack.