Solar energy reflector

• US 9,752,799 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AGC Glass Europe SA (AGC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ventelon, Lionel, Bouesnard, Olivier, Cosijns, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAMAY, DANIEL ELLIOT
• Application Number:
  US15/074,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20160273803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 126684, 126696, 427250, 427295, 427405
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/77 with flat reflective plates
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 23/82 characterised by the material or the construction of the reflector
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 70/30 Auxiliary coatings, e.g. anti-reflective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 80/20 Working fluids specially adapted for solar heat collectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0808 having a single reflecting layer G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers

Abstract

A solar energy reflector (1) comprises a mirror (5) with no copper layer laminated to a supporting sheet (7) by means of a bonding material (6). The edges of the mirror (5) are provided, at least on a portion forming the major part of their height and closest to the metallic sheet, with an edge protection (8) made of a material comprising silicone, polyurethane and/or acrylic and the material forming the edge protection (8) is different from the bonding material (6).

Claims

1. A solar energy reflector, comprising:

a mirror that comprises a glass substrate coated with a layer of silver and at least one layer of paint with no copper layer present between the silver layer and the paint layer, and

a supporting sheet,

wherein said mirror is laminated to said supporting sheet with a bonding material,

wherein the edges of the mirror have, at least on a portion forming a major part of their height and closest to the supporting sheet, an edge protection member comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of silicone, polyurethane, and acrylic,

wherein the material of the edge protection member is different from the bonding material, and

wherein the glass substrate is coated with the layer of silver by contacting the glass substrate with a solution comprising a silver salt.

2. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein the material forming the edge protection consists essentially of silicone.

3. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein the mirror is laminated to the supporting sheet so that the at least one layer of paint is facing the supporting sheet.

4. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material comprises an acrylic resin.

5. A solar energy reflector according to claim 4, wherein the bonding material comprises an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive.

6. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein the bonding material comprises at least one film selected from the group consisting of an acetate-based polymer film, a PVB film, an ionomer-based film, and a TPU film.

7. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein the edges of the mirror are provided substantially on their total height with the edge protection.

8. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, which has an average edge corrosion of less than 50 μ

m after having been subjected to a 15 days CASS test.

9. A method for manufacturing a solar energy reflector according to claim 1, the method comprising:

a) laminating a glass substrate, a silver coating layer provided at a surface of the glass substrate and at least one layer of paint covering the silver coating layer to a supporting sheet with a bonding material, to form the mirror that has no copper layer present between the silver layer and the paint layer; and

b) applying to the edges of the mirror, at least against the glass/silver and silver/paint interfaces, an edge protection member that comprises a material which is different from the bonding material and which, at the time it is applied on the edges of the mirror, has a viscosity

defined by at least one of the following;

i extrusion rate greater than or equal to 50 g/min when measured according to method A as herein defined

ii extrusion rate greater than or equal to 5 g/min when measured according to method B as herein defined

iii viscosity less than or equal to 800 Pa·

s when measured according to method C as herein defined

iv melt flow index greater than or equal to 30 ml/10 min when measured according to method D as herein defined

v extrusion rate greater than or equal to 60 g/min when measured according to method E as herein defined.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the bonding material has a viscosity, at the time it is applied on the edges of the mirror,

defined by at least one of the following:

i extrusion rate greater than or equal to 100 g/min when measured according to method A as herein defined

ii extrusion rate greater than or equal to 10 g/min when measured according to method B as herein defined

iii viscosity less than or equal to 700 Pas when measured according to method C as herein defined

iv melt flow index greater than or equal to 50 ml/10 min when measured according to method D as herein defined

v extrusion rate greater than or equal to 180 g/min when measured according to method E as herein defined.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the edge protection is applied to the edges of the mirror on at least a portion forming the major part of their height.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the edge protection is applied by extrusion.

13. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the mirror is greater than 0.9 mm.

14. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the mirror is greater than 1.1 mm.

15. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the mirror is from greater than 0.9 mm to less than 2.0 mm.

16. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the mirror is from greater than 1.1 mm to less than 1.5 mm.

17. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer of silver is from 80 nm to less than 200 nm.

18. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer of silver is from 100 nm to less than 180 nm.

19. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer of silver is from 120 nm to less than 180 nm.

20. A solar energy reflector according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer of silver is from 140 nm to less than 180 nm.