Multi-junction solar cells with a homogenizer system and coupled non-imaging light concentrator
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
The present embodiments provide methods and systems to homogenize illumination on a target. Some embodiments provide rotational symmetric dual-reflector solar concentrators that include a concave primary reflector with an aim-direction directed toward the sun to receive optical radiation in a far-field angle within an angle of acceptance and redirect radiation upward and centrally generating flux concentration, a secondary reflector positioned coaxial with said primary reflector to receive said redirected radiation and redirect radiation downward and centrally generating flux concentration solar rays, and a central target zone receiving said concentrated solar rays, where cross sections of said primary and secondary reflectors both further comprise a multiplicity of segments that establish a correspondence between pairs of segments, each of said segments of said primary reflector such as to image said angle of acceptance onto said corresponding segment of said secondary reflector to image onto said target zone.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A rotational symmetric dual-reflector solar concentrator employing Kohler integration to homogenize the illumination on the target, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A rotational symmetric dual-reflector solar concentrator employing Kohler integration to homogenize the illumination on the target, comprising:
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a refractive first surface of a transparent dielectric material, said first surface oriented to receive solar radiation in air; a refractive second surface receiving said radiation from said first surface, a concave primary reflector having an aim-direction directed toward the sun, thereby defining an upward direction, said first and second surfaces positioned upward of said primary reflector, said primary reflector receiving radiation therefrom in a far-field angle of acceptance of solar rays, said 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 solar concentration; a secondary reflector positioned above said primary reflector and coaxial therewith;
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 concentration;a refractive exit surface receiving said concentrated solar rays and passing them therethrough; a central target zone receiving said concentrated solar rays from said exit surface; and where said first and second refractive surfaces and said primary reflector and said secondary reflector and said exit surface being five successive surfaces, said five surfaces shaped to act so when the sun is within said angle of acceptance the solar radiation is directed to said target zone, where three of said five surfaces are fixed and the remaining two are designable and designated as first and second designable surfaces; where each of said designable surfaces comprises segmentation that subdivides a cross section of said first and second designable surfaces into corresponding pairs of discrete segments, said subdivision establishing a correspondence between pairs of segments of the cross sections of said first and second designable surfaces, each of said segments of said first designable surface such as to image said angle of acceptance onto said corresponding segment of said second designable surface, said corresponding segment of said second designable surface such as to image said corresponding segment of said first designable surface onto said target zone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification