A heliostat

Abstract

The application provides a heliostat, which comprises a support base, a mirror and a mirror frame. The mirror frame comprises a main beam. The mirror is divided into a first mirror part and a second mirror part by a projection line of a central axis of the main beam on the mirror. When a mirror body in the heliostat is installed in a first installation mode, the mirror is adjusted to an upright and closest-to-ground posture. The first mirror part is closer to the ground relative to the second mirror part. A distance from a point closest to the ground in the first mirror part to a reference horizontal plane is a first distance. When the mirror body in the heliostat is installed in a second installation mode, the mirror is adjusted to an upright and closest-to-ground posture. The second mirror part is closer to the ground relative to the first mirror part. A distance from a point closest to the ground in the second mirror part to the reference horizontal plane is a second distance. The first distance is less than the second distance. The mirror body in the heliostat is installed in the first installation mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solar thermal utilization technology, and more specifically, to a heliostat. Background Technology

[0002] Tower solar thermal utilization systems use thousands of heliostats to track the sun in real time and reflect sunlight onto the receiver located at the top of the tower. The working fluid inside the receiver is heated to a high temperature, and then the high-temperature working fluid is used to generate electricity or to utilize the thermal energy in the high-temperature working fluid in other ways.

[0003] In the prior art, in order to prevent the reflectors in the heliostat from colliding and interfering with the ground when they are adjusted to the upright position, the supporting foundation (such as the column) of the heliostat is often set relatively high. This will increase the manufacturing cost of the heliostat and raise its center of gravity, making the overall structure of the heliostat more susceptible to wind loads. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a heliostat whose orientation can be adjusted via a pitch-roll mechanism. This driving method allows for flexible adjustment of the heliostat frame angle over a wide range. Furthermore, since the mirror body is installed using the first mounting method, during adjustment, when the mirror approaches a near-vertical position and a safe distance between the mirror and the ground is maintained, the height of the supporting foundation (such as a column) can be reduced, thereby lowering the cost of the heliostat. In addition, reducing the height of the heliostat also reduces the wind load on the structure, increasing the wind resistance of the heliostat structure.

[0005] This invention provides a heliostat, comprising:

[0006] The supporting base is used to support the entire heliostat.

[0007] The mirror body includes a reflector and a frame for supporting the reflector;

[0008] The adapter connects the support base to the eyeglass frame. The adapter is rotatably connected to the eyeglass frame via a first connecting assembly, allowing the eyeglass frame to rotate about a first axis. The adapter is rotatably connected to the support base via a second connecting assembly, allowing the adapter and the eyeglass frame to rotate about a second axis simultaneously. The first axis and the second axis are either skewed or intersect.

[0009] The mirror frame includes a main beam and a plurality of support units spaced apart along the axial direction of the main beam, and the mirror is supported on the plurality of support units;

[0010] Using the projection line of the central axis of the main beam onto the reflector as the dividing line, the reflector is divided into a first reflector section and a second reflector section;

[0011] The horizontal plane passing through the apex of the supporting foundation is used as the reference horizontal plane;

[0012] When the heliostat is installed in the first mounting method, the reflector is adjusted to be vertical and closest to the ground, with the first reflector portion closer to the ground than the second reflector portion, and the distance from the point closest to the ground in the first reflector portion to the reference horizontal plane is a first distance; when the heliostat is installed in the second mounting method, the reflector is adjusted to be vertical and closest to the ground, with the second reflector portion closer to the ground than the first reflector portion, and the distance from the point closest to the ground in the second reflector portion to the reference plane is a second distance; the first distance is less than the second distance;

[0013] The mirror body of the heliostat is installed in the first mounting method.

[0014] In one embodiment of the invention, the main beam is arranged in an offset manner relative to the reflector.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the reflector is rectangular or other regular polygonal in shape.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the area of ​​the first reflector portion is smaller than the area of ​​the second reflector portion.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, each of the support units includes:

[0018] The central support is fixedly installed on the main beam;

[0019] The secondary beam, connected to the upper part of the central support, is used to mount the reflector;

[0020] Two support beams are provided on both sides of the central axis of the main beam, and the two ends of the support beams are respectively connected to the secondary beam and the central support; the two support beams are the first support beam and the second support beam; the length of the first support beam is L1 and the length of the second support beam is L2, where L1≠L2.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, the adapter includes a first adapter component and a second adapter component. The first adapter component is rotatably connected to the first connecting component, and the second adapter component is rotatably connected to the second connecting component. The first adapter component and the second adapter component are an integral structure that is fixedly connected to each other.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first adapter component is a first U-shaped portion, and the second adapter component is a second U-shaped portion.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, the adapter includes a cross shaft formed by the intersection of a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, wherein the central axis of the first rotating shaft is the first axis, the central axis of the second rotating shaft is the second axis, and the first axis and the second axis are coplanar and intersect each other, and the cross shaft is X-shaped.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism are further included. The first driving mechanism is used to drive the frame to rotate around the first axis, and the second driving mechanism is used to drive the adapter and the frame to rotate simultaneously around the second axis.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present invention, both the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are linear driving mechanisms;

[0026] Both the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism include a first end and a second end that can move away from and towards each other;

[0027] The first end of the first drive mechanism is hinged to the frame, the second end of the first drive mechanism is hinged to the adapter, the first end of the second drive mechanism is hinged to the adapter, and the second end of the second drive mechanism is hinged to the support base.

[0028] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are both one of an electric push rod, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder, a telescopic air cylinder, or a scissor jack.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0030] 1. In the heliostat provided by this invention, the orientation of the reflector can be adjusted by pitch-roll method. This driving method can flexibly adjust the angle of the heliostat frame within a large range. Since the mirror body in the heliostat is installed in the first installation method, during the adjustment process, when the reflector is close to a vertical position and a safe distance between the reflector and the ground is maintained, the height of the supporting foundation (such as a column) can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of the heliostat. In addition, the reduction in the height of the heliostat will also reduce the wind load on the structure and increase the wind resistance of the heliostat structure.

[0031] 2. In the heliostat provided by this invention, the main beam is arranged in an offset manner relative to the reflector to meet the installation requirements of the first installation method. For example, when the reflector is rectangular or other regular polygonal in shape, by setting the area of ​​the first reflector portion to be smaller than the area of ​​the second reflector portion, the main beam is arranged in an offset manner relative to the reflector. Without reducing the reflector area, the height of the supporting foundation (such as a column) is reduced, saving costs. At the same time, the overall height of the heliostat is reduced, which can improve the wind resistance of the heliostat. In addition, the overall support unit is dimensionally different from the central axis of the main beam. In a symmetrical configuration, the main beam can be offset relative to the reflector. For example, the lengths of the first and second beams are not equal. A driving mechanism can be used to position the shorter beam below the longer beam. When the reflector is nearly vertical and a safe distance between the reflector and the ground is maintained, the height of the supporting foundation (such as a column) can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of the heliostat. Furthermore, the wind load on the heliostat is positively correlated with its height. Reducing the height of the heliostat will also reduce the wind load on the structure and increase the wind resistance of the heliostat structure. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the heliostat provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the support unit provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a partial enlarged view of the heliostat provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the mirror body provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the adapter provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0038] The correspondence between each mark and the part name is as follows:

[0039] Frame 1, Drive Module 2, Support Base 3, Reflector 4, Main Beam 5, Support Unit 6, First Connecting Assembly 7, Second Connecting Assembly 8, Sub-beam 9, Central Support 10, First Support Beam 11, Second Support Beam 12, Reinforcing Plate 13, Adapter 14, First Drive Mechanism 15, Second Drive Mechanism 16, First Axis 18, Second Axis 19, Third Connecting Assembly 20, First Adapter Assembly 21, Second Adapter Assembly 22, Third Adapter Assembly 23, Fourth Adapter Assembly 24. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0041] Example 1

[0042] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a heliostat, including:

[0043] The support base 3 is used to support the entire heliostat; specifically, in this embodiment, the support base 3 is a column fixed to the ground. Of course, in other embodiments, the support base 3 can also be a tower or other support structure.

[0044] The mirror body includes a reflector 4 and a frame 1 for supporting the reflector 4;

[0045] The adapter 14 connects the support base 3 to the frame 1. The adapter 14 is rotatably connected to the frame 1 via a first connecting assembly 7, allowing the frame 1 to rotate around a first axis 18. The adapter 14 is also rotatably connected to the support base 3 via a second connecting assembly 8, allowing both the adapter 14 and the frame 1 to rotate simultaneously around a second axis 19. The first axis 18 and the second axis 19 are not in the same plane, giving the heliostat greater freedom and flexibility. In other embodiments, the first axis 18 and the second axis 19 can also be arranged to intersect in the same plane. Since the first axis and the second axis are on the same plane and there is no height difference, the overall height of the heliostat can be further reduced. Furthermore, it should be noted that... Figure 3 The first axis 18 and the second axis 19 are virtual auxiliary lines made only to facilitate clear illustration of this embodiment.

[0046] Reference Figure 1 , 2As shown in Figure 4, the mirror frame 1 includes a main beam 5 and a plurality of support units 6 spaced apart along the axial direction of the main beam 5, and the reflector 4 is supported on the plurality of support units 6.

[0047] Using the projection line of the central axis of the main beam 5 onto the reflector as the dividing line, the reflector 4 is divided into the first reflector section and the second reflector section.

[0048] The horizontal plane passing through the three vertices of the supporting foundation is used as the reference horizontal plane;

[0049] When the heliostat is installed in the first mounting method, the reflector 4 is adjusted to be vertical and closest to the ground. The first reflector section is closer to the ground than the second reflector section, and the distance from the point closest to the ground in the first reflector section to the reference horizontal plane is the first distance. When the heliostat is installed in the second mounting method, the reflector 4 is adjusted to be vertical and closest to the ground. The second reflector section is closer to the ground than the first reflector section, and the distance from the point closest to the ground in the second reflector section to the reference plane is the second distance. The first distance is less than the second distance. In this embodiment, the heliostat is installed in the first mounting method.

[0050] The heliostat provided in this embodiment is installed using the first installation method, and the attitude of the reflector 4 is adjusted by pitch-roll. When the reflector 4 is close to the vertical position, the height of the column can be reduced without reducing the area of ​​the reflector 4, thus saving costs. At the same time, since the overall height of the heliostat is reduced, the wind resistance of the heliostat can be improved, and the service life of the equipment can be extended.

[0051] In one embodiment, the main beam 5 is arranged in an offset manner relative to the reflector, so that the reflector is asymmetrical relative to the main beam 5, thereby facilitating the installation of the mirror body in the first mounting manner.

[0052] In one embodiment, the reflector 4 can be configured as a rectangle or other regular polygonal shape. Specifically, the main beam 5 in the heliostat can be configured to be parallel to one of the sides of the reflector 4.

[0053] In one embodiment, the area of ​​the first reflector section is smaller than the area of ​​the second reflector section. When the mirror body is installed in the first installation method, without reducing the area of ​​the reflector 4, the first reflector section is set to be closer to the ground when in the vertical state, which can reduce the height of the column, save costs, and improve the wind resistance of the heliostat.

[0054] In this embodiment, the support unit 6 is used to mount the reflector 4, as shown in the reference. Figure 2 As shown, each support unit 6 includes:

[0055] The central support 10 is fixedly arranged on the main beam 5;

[0056] The secondary beam 9 is connected to the upper part of the central support 10 and is used for installing the mirror 4;

[0057] Two support beams are arranged on both sides of the central axis of the main beam 5. The two ends of the support beams are respectively connected to the secondary beam 9 and the central support 10. The two support beams are respectively the first support beam 11 and the second support beam 12. The length of the first support beam 11 is L1, and the length of the second support beam 12 is L2, where L1≠L2.

[0058] The mirror 4 is fixed on the surface formed by multiple support unit 6. The secondary beam 9 includes three mounting holes. The middle mounting hole is connected to the central support 10, and the two side mounting holes are connected to the first support beam 11 and the second support beam 12.

[0059] By setting the length L1 of the first support beam 11 and the length L2 of the second support beam 12 to be different, the support unit 6 is asymmetric in structure about the center of the main beam 5. Through the design of this asymmetric structure, it is convenient for the solar tracking mirror to be installed in the first installation method, which helps to improve the wind resistance performance and overall stability of the solar tracking mirror, and also helps to reduce the manufacturing cost of the solar tracking mirror.

[0060] In an embodiment, the length of the first support beam 11 is L1, and the length of the second support beam 12 is L2, where L1 < L2. Through the asymmetric design of the lengths of the two support beams, the entire support unit 6 is asymmetrically designed with respect to the central axis of the main beam 5.

[0061] Such as Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the adapter 14 includes a first adapter component 21 and a second adapter component 22. The first adapter component 21 is rotatably connected to the first connecting component 7, and the second adapter component 22 is rotatably connected to the second connecting component 8. The first adapter component 21 and the second adapter component 22 are an integral structure that is fixedly connected to each other. Specifically, in this embodiment, the first connecting component 7 is fixedly mounted on the main beam 5, and the second connecting component 8 is fixedly mounted on the supporting foundation 3 (such as a column). The first adapter component 21 is a first U-shaped part, and the second adapter component 22 is a second U-shaped part. Of course, in other embodiments, the adapter 14 can also be an assembly containing a cross axis. The cross axis can be a cross axis formed by the intersection of the first rotating axis and the second rotating axis. The central axis of the first rotating axis is the first axis 18 mentioned above, and the central axis of the second rotating axis is the second axis 19 mentioned above. Furthermore, the first axis 18 and the second axis 19 are coplanar and intersect. Specifically, the shape of the cross axis is approximately X-shaped. The above are just some specific implementations of the adapter 14. Any other mechanism that can achieve the connection between the frame 1 and the support base 3, and enable the reflector 4 to rotate around the first axis 18, and enable the reflector 4 and the first axis 18 to rotate around the second axis 19 at the same time, belongs to the implementation of the adapter 14 in this invention.

[0062] Specifically, the heliostat in this embodiment also includes a first driving mechanism 15 and a second driving mechanism 16. The first driving mechanism 15 is used to drive the mirror frame 1 to rotate around the first axis 18 (that is, to adjust the attitude of the mirror 4 by adjusting the pitch of the mirror 4); the second driving mechanism 16 is used to drive the adapter 14 and the mirror frame 1 to rotate around the second axis 19 simultaneously (that is, to adjust the attitude of the mirror 4 by causing the mirror 4 to roll). In other words, while the second driving mechanism 16 drives the mirror frame 1 to rotate around the second axis 19 to adjust the attitude, it also drives the adapter 14 to adjust the attitude, so that the first axis 18 rotates synchronously around the second axis 19.

[0063] Both the first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16 are linear drive mechanisms.

[0064] Both the first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16 include a first end and a second end that can move away from and towards each other; the first end of the first drive mechanism 15 is hinged to the frame 1, the second end of the first drive mechanism 15 is hinged to the adapter 14, the first end of the second drive mechanism 16 is hinged to the adapter 14, and the second end of the second drive mechanism 16 is hinged to the supporting base 3. Specifically, as... Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the adapter 14 further includes a third adapter component 23 and a fourth adapter component 24; as Figure 3As shown, a third connecting component 20 is also fixedly installed on the main beam 5, and both the first connecting component 7 and the third connecting component 20 are fixedly installed on the main beam 5 through a reinforcing plate 13; wherein, the first end of the first driving mechanism 15 is hinged to the third connecting component 20, the second end of the first driving mechanism 15 is hinged to the third transition component 23 on the transition part 14, and the first end of the second driving mechanism 16 is hinged to the fourth transition component 24 of the transition part 14.

[0065] In one embodiment, the first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16 may be the same or different. The first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16 may be one of an electric push rod, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder, a telescopic air cylinder or a scissor jack.

[0066] The first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16, through independent or coordinated operation, achieve precise adjustment of the orientation of the reflector 4 in the heliostat. In actual operation, by inputting specific commands into the control system, the relative displacement between the first end and the second end of the first drive mechanism 15 and the second drive mechanism 16 is controlled respectively, thereby achieving dynamic adjustment of the attitude of the reflector 4.

[0067] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A heliostat, characterized in that, The heliostat comprises: a support base for supporting the whole heliostat; a mirror body comprising a mirror and a mirror frame for supporting the mirror; a connecting part through which the support base and the mirror frame are connected, and through which the connecting part is rotatably connected with the mirror frame by a first connecting assembly so that the mirror frame can rotate around a first axis, and the connecting part is rotatably connected with the support base by a second connecting assembly so that the connecting part and the mirror frame can simultaneously rotate around a second axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are non-coplanar or intersected; the mirror frame comprises a main beam and a plurality of support units arranged along the axial direction of the main beam, and the mirror is supported on the plurality of support units; a projection line of the central axis of the main beam on the mirror is taken as a boundary line to divide the mirror into a first mirror part and a second mirror part; a horizontal plane passing through the vertex of the support base is taken as a reference horizontal plane; when the mirror body of the heliostat is installed in a first installation mode, the mirror is adjusted to an upright and closest-to-ground posture, the first mirror part is closer to the ground relative to the second mirror part, and the distance from the closest-to-ground point in the first mirror part to the reference horizontal plane is a first distance; when the mirror body of the heliostat is installed in a second installation mode, the mirror is adjusted to an upright and closest-to-ground posture, the second mirror part is closer to the ground relative to the first mirror part, and the distance from the closest-to-ground point in the second mirror part to the reference horizontal plane is a second distance; the first distance is less than the second distance; the mirror body of the heliostat is installed in the first installation mode.

2. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein, The main beam is arranged in a biased manner relative to the mirror.

3. The heliostat of claim 2, wherein, The mirror is rectangular or other regular polygonal shape.

4. The heliostat of claim 3, wherein, The area of the first mirror part is less than the area of the second mirror part.

5. The heliostat of claim 4, wherein, Each of the support units comprises: a central support fixedly arranged on the main beam; a secondary beam connected with the upper part of the central support for mounting the mirror; two support beams arranged on both sides of the central axis of the main beam, the two ends of the support beams are respectively connected with the secondary beam and the central support; the two support beams are respectively a first support beam and a second support beam; the length of the first support beam is L1, and the length of the second support beam is L2, wherein L1≠L2.

6. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein, The connecting part comprises a first connecting assembly and a second connecting assembly, the first connecting assembly is rotatably connected with the first connecting assembly, the second connecting assembly is rotatably connected with the second connecting assembly, and the first connecting assembly and the second connecting assembly are integrally connected with each other.

7. The heliostat of claim 6, wherein, The first connecting assembly is a first U-shaped part, and the second connecting assembly is a second U-shaped part.

8. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein, The connecting part comprises a cross shaft formed by the intersection of a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, the central axis of the first rotating shaft is the first axis, the central axis of the second rotating shaft is the second axis, and the first axis and the second axis are coplanar and intersected, and the cross shaft is in the shape of X.

9. The heliostat of claim 1, wherein, The first driving mechanism is used for driving the frame to rotate around the first axis, and the second driving mechanism is used for driving the adapter and the frame to rotate around the second axis simultaneously.

10. The heliostat of claim 9, wherein, The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are linear driving mechanisms. The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism each comprise a first end and a second end which can move away from and close to each other. The first end of the first driving mechanism is hinged to the frame, the second end of the first driving mechanism is hinged to the adapter, the first end of the second driving mechanism is hinged to the adapter, and the second end of the second driving mechanism is hinged to the support base.

11. The heliostat of claim 9, wherein, The first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are one of an electric push rod, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder, a telescopic air cylinder or a scissor jack.

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