Parabolic trough or dish reflector for use in concentrating solar power apparatus and method of making same
First Claim
1. A method of making a mirror for use in a concentrating solar power apparatus, the method comprising:
- bending a thick glass substrate having a thickness of at least 2.0 mm into a desired bent shape so as to form a pre-bent thick glass substrate;
forming a mirror coating on a relatively thin glass substrate having a thickness of from about 1.0 to 2.0 mm, the mirror coating being formed on the thin glass substrate when the thin glass substrate is in a substantially flat shape, the thin glass substrate having a thickness less than the thick glass substrate;
after the mirror coating has been formed on the thin glass substrate, laminating the thin glass substrate to the pre-bent thick glass substrate using at least one polymer inclusive adhesive layer to form a laminate mirror comprising a substantially parabolic shape, wherein the laminate mirror is used in a concentrating solar power apparatus and has a solar reflectance of at least 90%.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reflector (e.g., mirror) for use in a solar collector or the like is provided. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a reflector is made by (a) forming a reflective coating on a thin substantially flat glass substrate (the thin glass substrate may or may not be pre-bent prior to the coating being applied thereto), (b) optionally, if the glass substrate in (a) was not prebent, then cold-bending the glass substrate with the reflective coating thereon; and (c) applying a plate or frame member to the thin bent glass substrate with the coating thereon from (a) and/or (b), the plate or frame member (which may be another thicker pre-bent glass sheet, for example) for maintaining the thin glass substrate and coating thereon in a desired bent orientation in a final product which may be used as parabolic trough or dish type reflector in a concentrating solar power apparatus or the like.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of making a mirror for use in a concentrating solar power apparatus, the method comprising:
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bending a thick glass substrate having a thickness of at least 2.0 mm into a desired bent shape so as to form a pre-bent thick glass substrate; forming a mirror coating on a relatively thin glass substrate having a thickness of from about 1.0 to 2.0 mm, the mirror coating being formed on the thin glass substrate when the thin glass substrate is in a substantially flat shape, the thin glass substrate having a thickness less than the thick glass substrate; after the mirror coating has been formed on the thin glass substrate, laminating the thin glass substrate to the pre-bent thick glass substrate using at least one polymer inclusive adhesive layer to form a laminate mirror comprising a substantially parabolic shape, wherein the laminate mirror is used in a concentrating solar power apparatus and has a solar reflectance of at least 90%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of making a mirror for use in a concentrating solar power apparatus, the method comprising:
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bending a thick glass substrate into a desired bent shape so as to form a pre-bent thick glass substrate; forming a mirror coating on a thin glass substrate, the mirror coating being formed on the thin glass substrate when the thin glass substrate is in a substantially flat shape; wherein the thin glass substrate has a thickness smaller than that of the thick glass substrate; and after the mirror coating has been formed on the thin glass substrate, laminating the thin glass substrate to the pre-bent thick glass substrate using at least one polymer inclusive adhesive layer to form a laminate mirror to be used in a concentrating solar power apparatus.
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Specification