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Multi-junction solar cells with a homogenizer system and coupled non-imaging light concentrator

  • US 8,631,787 B2
  • Filed: 09/08/2008
  • Issued: 01/21/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A rotational symmetric dual-reflector solar concentrator employing Kohler integration to homogenize the illumination on the target, comprising:

  • a plurality of optically active surfaces including a concave primary reflector and a secondary reflector;

    said concave primary reflector with an aim-direction directed toward the sun, thereby defining an upward direction, said primary reflector receiving optical radiation therefrom in a far-field angle bounded within an angle of solar-ray acceptance about said aim-direction, said primary reflector redirecting said radiation upward and centrally, said central redirection by said primary reflector generating flux concentration;

    said secondary reflector positioned coaxial with said primary reflector to receive said redirected radiation;

    said secondary reflector being smaller than said primary reflector and accepting said redirected solar radiation therefrom;

    said secondary reflector redirecting said solar radiation downward and centrally, said central redirection by said secondary reflector generating solar radiation concentration;

    a central target zone receiving said concentrated solar radiation;

    said primary and secondary reflector shaped so that when the sun is within said angle of acceptance the solar radiation is directed to said target zone; and

    said plurality of optically active surfaces comprising a first and second Kohler surfaces, wherein cross sections of said first and second Kohler surfaces both further comprise a multiplicity of discrete curved segments subdividing said cross sections, said subdivision establishing a correspondence between pairs of segments of said first and second Kohler surfaces, each of said segments of said first Kohler surface such as to image said angle of acceptance onto said corresponding segment of said second Kohler surface, said corresponding segment of said second Kohler surface such as to image said corresponding segment of said first Kohler surface onto said target zone.

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