Low-cost heliostatic mirror with protective inflation stabilizable surface element means
First Claim
1. A low-cost heliostatic mirror with inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance &
- survival, comprising;
a mirror comprising thin reflective surface means for reflecting incident sunlight when the Sun is shining and visible;
heliostatic control means for angular pointing of said mirror so as to cause said mirror to reflect said incident sunlight to form a reflected sunlight beam going to a target region at which a solar receiver can be located;
perimeter support means for accurately setting and holding the perimeter of said thin reflective surface means in a desired orientation as commanded by said heliostatic control means;
inflation stabilizable surface element means for enhancing adverse weather performance &
survival for said mirror, which inflation stabilizable surface element means include substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located above an upper inflatable volume above the sunlight reflecting sunward side of said mirror, and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located below a lower inflatable volume below the nonsunward side of said mirror;
andconnecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means for encircling the lower perimeter of said lower inflatable volume and the upper perimeter of said upper inflatable volume respectively, which connecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means form a near-circular closed loop in circumferential tension when said lower inflated volume and upper inflatable volume are both fully inflated;
and wherein;
(a) said substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather performance for said mirror under adverse weather conditions comprising winds below a 1st threshold level, when said upper inflatable volume and lower inflatable volume are fully inflated;
and wherein;
(b) said lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means serve as means for enhancing adverse weather survival for said mirror in a stowed survival configuration, under adverse weather conditions comprising at least one of severe winds below a 2nd threshold level, serious frozen precipitation below a 3rd threshold level and significant sandstorm particles below a 4th threshold level, when said lower inflated volume is fully inflated.
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Abstract
Increased utilization of solar power is highly desirable as solar power is a readily available renewable resource with power potential far exceeding total global needs; and as solar power does not contribute to environmentally harmful pollutants associated with fossil fuel power, such as unburned hydrocarbons, NOx and carbon dioxide. The present invention is motivated by the fact that heliostats are the single biggest cost element for utility-scale central receiver solar thermal powerplants. This invention provides a low-cost heliostatic mirror with protective inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance & survival, where the inflation stabilizable surface element means include inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means and may include inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A low-cost heliostatic mirror with inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance &
- survival, comprising;
a mirror comprising thin reflective surface means for reflecting incident sunlight when the Sun is shining and visible; heliostatic control means for angular pointing of said mirror so as to cause said mirror to reflect said incident sunlight to form a reflected sunlight beam going to a target region at which a solar receiver can be located; perimeter support means for accurately setting and holding the perimeter of said thin reflective surface means in a desired orientation as commanded by said heliostatic control means; inflation stabilizable surface element means for enhancing adverse weather performance &
survival for said mirror, which inflation stabilizable surface element means include substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located above an upper inflatable volume above the sunlight reflecting sunward side of said mirror, and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located below a lower inflatable volume below the nonsunward side of said mirror;and connecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means for encircling the lower perimeter of said lower inflatable volume and the upper perimeter of said upper inflatable volume respectively, which connecting lower perimeter encircling means and upper perimeter encircling means form a near-circular closed loop in circumferential tension when said lower inflated volume and upper inflatable volume are both fully inflated; and wherein; (a) said substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather performance for said mirror under adverse weather conditions comprising winds below a 1st threshold level, when said upper inflatable volume and lower inflatable volume are fully inflated; and wherein; (b) said lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means serve as means for enhancing adverse weather survival for said mirror in a stowed survival configuration, under adverse weather conditions comprising at least one of severe winds below a 2nd threshold level, serious frozen precipitation below a 3rd threshold level and significant sandstorm particles below a 4th threshold level, when said lower inflated volume is fully inflated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- survival, comprising;
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7. A low-cost heliostatic mirror with inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance &
- survival, comprising;
a mirror comprising thin reflective surface means for reflecting incident sunlight when the Sun is shining and visible; heliostatic control means for angular pointing of said mirror so as to cause said mirror to reflect said incident sunlight to form a reflected sunlight beam going to a target region at which a solar receiver can be located; perimeter support means for accurately setting and holding the perimeter of said thin reflective surface means in a desired orientation as commanded by said heliostatic control means; and inflation stabilizable surface element means for enhancing adverse weather performance &
survival for said mirror, which inflation stabilizable surface element means include(i) substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means on lateral sides of substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means all located above an upper inflatable volume above the sunlight reflecting sunward side of said mirror, and (ii) lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means on lateral sides of lower inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means all located below a lower inflatable volume below the nonsunward side of said mirror; and wherein; said (i) substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means on lateral sides of substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means and (ii) lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means on lateral sides of lower inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means, all together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather performance for said mirror under adverse weather conditions comprising winds below a 1st threshold level, when said upper inflatable volume and lower inflatable volume are fully inflated; and wherein; said (ii) lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means on lateral sides of lower inflation stabilizable near-cylindrical surface element means, together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather survival for said mirror in a stowed survival configuration, under adverse weather conditions comprising at least one of severe winds below a 2nd threshold level, serious frozen precipitation below a 3rd threshold level and significant sandstorm particles below a 4th threshold level, when said lower inflated volume is fully inflated. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- survival, comprising;
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16. A low-cost heliostatic mirror with inflation stabilizable surface element means for providing adverse weather performance &
- survival, comprising;
a mirror comprising thin reflective surface means for reflecting incident sunlight when the Sun is shining and visible; heliostatic control means for angular pointing of said mirror so as to cause said mirror to reflect said incident sunlight to form a reflected sunlight beam going to a target region at which a solar receiver can be located; perimeter support means for accurately setting and holding the perimeter of said thin reflective surface means in a desired orientation as commanded by said heliostatic control means; inflation stabilizable surface element means for enhancing adverse weather performance &
survival for said mirror, which inflation stabilizable surface element means include substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located above an upper inflatable volume above the sunlight reflecting sunward side of said mirror, and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means located below a lower inflatable volume below the nonsunward side of said mirror;a lower perimeter member of near-circular arc form that is structurally contiguous to (i) a lower perimeter of said lower inflatable volume when said lower inflatable volume is fully inflated and to (ii) said perimeter support means at its upper ends; and mirror support means for supporting said mirror on a ground surface which mirror support means includes a rotatable base member and connecting support means for connecting said lower perimeter member to said rotatable base member; and wherein; (a) said substantially transparent upper inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means and lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means together serve as means for enhancing adverse weather performance for said mirror under adverse weather conditions comprising winds below a 1st threshold level, when said upper inflatable volume and lower inflatable volume are fully inflated; and wherein; (b) said lower inflation stabilizable near-spherical surface element means serve as means for enhancing adverse weather survival for said mirror in a stowed survival configuration, under adverse weather conditions comprising at least one of severe winds below a 2nd threshold level, serious frozen precipitation below a 3rd threshold level and significant sandstorm particles below a 4th threshold level, when said lower inflated volume is fully inflated. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- survival, comprising;
Specification