Aerial heliostat system

Abstract

The invention relates to an aerial heliostat system which comprises a balloon module, and a light steering module, a control module and a communication sensing module which are carried on the balloon module, the balloon module comprises a balloon body and a power driving device used for driving the balloon body to rotate around a certain vertical shaft or move left and right and up and down. The light steering module comprises a reflecting / refracting device and a rotating device, and the rotating device is used for driving the reflecting / refracting device to do one-dimensional or two-dimensional rotating motion in the balloon or do rotating motion around a certain transverse axis along with the balloon outside the balloon; the power driving device of the balloon module is matched with the rotating device of the light steering module so as to control the posture and height of the balloon body and the reflecting / refracting device, track the sun and reflect sunlight to a certain destination in the space; the control module and the communication sensing module are used for connecting and controlling the balloon module and the light steering module to enable the balloon module and the light steering module to work in a coordinated mode and can receive remote control instructions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an aerial heliostat system and to the field of natural light illumination technology for indoor and agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery production facilities. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of facility agriculture and aquaculture, it is a well-known practice to use heliostats to direct natural or artificial light into a specific area to provide more illumination to organisms in that area, thereby promoting photosynthesis or serving their work and life.

[0003] However, to date, these existing systems are primarily land-based, meaning they are fixed to the Earth's surface. This fixed nature creates two drawbacks: higher cost and poor mobility, thus hindering flexible applications. The high cost of existing systems stems from the necessary construction costs, foundation and pole material costs, and land acquisition expenses. The poor mobility arises because once fixed in place, they are obviously limited to serving a single application site and are difficult to relocate frequently to serve another. Mounting existing systems on mobile devices, such as vehicles, further increases costs and makes them impractical.

[0004] Chinese patent application 202310670922.2, entitled "A rapid detection method for misaligned heliostats based on UAV hovering light source", proposes a method for detecting and calibrating land-based heliostats using UAVs, but it cannot overcome the aforementioned defects of existing land-based heliostat systems.

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a heliostat system that is less expensive and more mobile, in order to overcome the two defects of the existing system mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems by providing an aerial heliostat system. This system uses heliostats carried by a balloon high in the sky to redirect sunlight towards ground-based buildings and crop production areas, thereby allowing more sunlight to enter local production and work areas, enhancing illumination and controlling photosynthesis.

[0007] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: An aerial heliostat system includes a balloon module, and a light steering module, a control module, and a communication sensing module mounted on the balloon module; its special feature is that: The balloon module includes a balloon body and a power drive device responsible for driving the balloon body to rotate around a vertical axis or move left, right, up, or down. The light steering module includes a reflection / refractive device and a rotating device. The rotating device is responsible for driving the reflection / refractive device to perform one-dimensional or two-dimensional rotational motion inside the balloon, or to follow the balloon and rotate around a certain horizontal axis outside the balloon. The power drive device of the balloon module works together with the rotation device of the light steering module to control the attitude and altitude of the balloon body and the reflection / refraction device and track the sun to reflect sunlight to a destination in space. The control module and communication sensing module are used to connect and control the balloon module and the light steering module, enabling them to work in coordination and receive remote control commands.

[0008] Preferably, the balloon body is made of a transparent or opaque material.

[0009] Preferably, the light steering module is located inside or outside the balloon body.

[0010] Preferably, the rotating device is located inside the balloon body and is composed of a gimbal, which is supported by a support located inside the balloon body, and the reflecting / refracting device is fixed on the gimbal.

[0011] Preferably, the power drive device includes a frame and a drone.

[0012] Preferably, the reflection / refraction device is inside the balloon and is driven by the drone.

[0013] Preferably, the heliostat system consists of multiple balloon modules and light-directing modules connected by cables.

[0014] This invention discloses an aerial heliostat system that utilizes a balloon module to lift a reflecting or refracting device into the air. A drone or motor-driven device enables the system to automatically track the sun's altitude and azimuth in the air, redirecting sunlight to a designated area using the principles of light reflection or refraction for illumination. Compared to traditional ground-based heliostat systems, this system offers rapid deployment, mobility, and reusability, making it particularly suitable for applications requiring mobile and temporary sunlight illumination.

[0015] Specifically, on sunny days, the heliostat system proposed in this invention directs sunlight onto ground buildings and crop production areas via heliostats carried by balloons located high in the sky. This allows more sunlight to enter local production and work areas, enhancing illumination and controlling photosynthesis. It is cheaper than traditional ground-based heliostats and has better mobility, meeting the needs of various applications. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure and working principle of Embodiment 1; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure and working principle of Embodiment 2; Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure and working principle of Embodiment 3; Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure and working principle of Example 4; Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure and working principle of Example 5; In the diagram, 200 is the aerial heliostat system; 201 is the balloon module; 202 is the light steering module; 203 is the balloon body; 204 is the power drive unit; 205 is the reflection / refraction device; 206 is the rotation device; 207 is the ring support; 208 is the horizontal axis; 209 is the drive motor; 210 is the refracting mirror; 211 is the horizontal axis; 212 is the main heliostat system; 213 is the cable; 214 is the sub-heliostat system; 215 is the support; 216 is the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) group; 217 is the control module; and 218 is the communication sensor module. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] Example 1 Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the first embodiment of this invention is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the airborne heliostat system 200 includes a balloon module 201, and a light steering module 202, a control module 217, and a communication sensing module 218 mounted on the balloon module 201.

[0019] In this embodiment, the balloon module 201 includes a balloon body 203 and a power drive device 204. The balloon body 203 serves as the carrier of the entire system, and its sphere is made of an opaque material. The power drive device 204 is positioned below the balloon body 203 to control the balloon body 203's altitude and orientation in the air. Specifically, the power drive device 204 in this embodiment includes a frame, a heater that generates heat combined with an exhaust valve, and a drone unit 216. The heater is mounted on the frame and controls the ascent and descent of the balloon body 203 through its connection with the exhaust valve, while the drone unit 216 is responsible for turning the balloon. Controlling the ascent or descent of a balloon using a heater combined with an exhaust valve is a common and mature existing technology; therefore, the specific principles and connection methods of this part will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0020] In this embodiment, the light steering module 202 includes a rotating device 206 and a reflecting / refracting device 205 mounted on the balloon body 203. The rotating device 206 controls the rotation of the reflecting / refracting device 205 to enable it to track sunlight at a suitable angle. The rotating device 206 in this embodiment includes an annular support 207 disposed around the outer periphery of the balloon body 203 and a horizontal shaft 208 rotatably mounted on the annular support 207. One end of the horizontal shaft 208 is driven by a drive motor 209, thereby rotating the reflecting / refracting device 205. In this embodiment, the reflecting / refracting device 205 is a reflector, fixedly mounted on the horizontal shaft 208 and rotating synchronously with it. This configuration allows the reflector to rotate one-dimensionally outside the balloon body 203, thereby adjusting the reflector's pitch angle.

[0021] In this embodiment, on the one hand, the height of the balloon body 203 is adjusted by the heater that generates hot air in the power drive device 204, and on the other hand, the orientation and azimuth angle of the balloon body 203 are adjusted by the drone group 216 in the power drive device 204. At the same time, the pitch angle of the reflector is controlled by the rotating device 206. Finally, through the joint control of the power drive device 204 and the rotating device 206, the height, orientation and pitch angle of the reflector in the light steering module 202 are adjusted so that the reflector can always track and receive the incident sunlight and reflect the sunlight to a destination in space or on the ground.

[0022] In this embodiment, the control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are fixed to the power drive device 204. Specifically, the control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are integrated onto an integrated circuit board and encapsulated in a waterproof box, which is then fixedly mounted on the frame of the power drive device 204. The control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are used to connect and control the balloon module 201 and the light steering module 202, enabling them to work in coordination and receive remote control commands.

[0023] It should be understood that the control logic and method of the control module 217 and the communication sensing module 218 are mature technologies in the prior art and are not innovative parts of this application. Therefore, this part is not described in detail in this embodiment.

[0024] Example 2 Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the second embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 2 As shown, the airborne heliostat system 200 includes a balloon module 201, and a light steering module 202, a control module 217, and a communication sensing module 218 mounted on the balloon module 201.

[0025] In this embodiment, the balloon module 201 serves as the carrier of the entire system, mainly consisting of two parts: the balloon body 203 and the power drive device 204. The balloon body 203 is made of transparent material. The power drive device 204 is responsible for controlling the rotation and movement of the balloon body 203, and it is located outside the balloon body 203. In this embodiment, the power drive device 204 includes a frame, a heater that generates heat combined with an exhaust valve, and a drone unit 216. The heater combined with the exhaust valve controls the balloon's ascent and descent, while the drone unit 216 controls the balloon's directional movement. Controlling the balloon's ascent or descent using a heater combined with an exhaust valve is a common and mature existing technology, and therefore will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0026] In this embodiment, the light steering module 202 includes a rotating device 206 and a reflection / refractive device 205 mounted on the balloon body 203, both of which are located inside the balloon body 203. The rotating device 206 is used to directly control the rotation of the reflection / refractive device 205. It includes an annular support 207 disposed inside the balloon body 203 and a horizontal shaft 208 rotatably mounted on the annular support 207. One end of the horizontal shaft 208 is driven and connected by a drive motor 209. In this embodiment, the reflection / refractive device 205 is a reflector, which is fixedly mounted on the horizontal shaft 208 and rotates synchronously with the horizontal shaft 208. This arrangement allows the reflector to rotate one-dimensionally inside the balloon 203, thereby adjusting the pitch angle of the reflector.

[0027] In this embodiment, the power drive device 204 and the rotation device 206 jointly control the height, orientation, and pitch angle of the balloon body 203 and the reflector to reflect sunlight to a destination in space or on the ground.

[0028] In this embodiment, the control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are fixed to the power drive device 204, used to connect and control the balloon module 201 and the light steering module 202, enabling them to work in coordination and receive remote control commands. Similar to Embodiment 1, the control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are integrated onto a single integrated circuit board and encapsulated in a waterproof box, which is then fixedly mounted on the frame contained in the power drive device 204.

[0029] Example 3 Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the third embodiment of this invention is shown.

[0030] Compared with the second embodiment, this embodiment has two differences.

[0031] The first difference is that the reflection / refractive device 205 in the light steering module 202 of embodiment 2 uses a reflector, while the reflection / refractive device 205 used in the light steering module 202 of this embodiment is a refractive mirror.

[0032] The second difference is that in Embodiment 2, the reflector rotates to change its pitch angle by means of a rotating device 206 inside the balloon body 203, while in this embodiment, the rotating device 206 is located outside the balloon and can cause the balloon body 203 to rotate around a certain horizontal axis 211, thereby rotating the internal reflector to change its pitch angle. The rotating device 206 includes a track on the lower outer surface of the balloon body 203 and a gear motor meshing with the track. When the gear motor rotates, it uses gravity to mesh and drive the balloon to rotate around the horizontal axis 211, thus achieving the overall rotation of the balloon body 203 and changing the pitch angle of the internal reflector.

[0033] A power drive device 204 is installed on the outside of the balloon body 203. In this embodiment, the power drive device 204 includes a frame, a heater that generates heat combined with an exhaust valve, and a drone unit 216. The heater combined with the exhaust valve controls the balloon's ascent and descent, while the drone unit 216 controls the balloon's directional movement. Controlling the balloon's ascent and descent using a heater combined with an exhaust valve is a common and mature existing technology, and therefore will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0034] The power drive unit 204 and the rotating device 206 jointly control the height, orientation, and pitch angle of the balloon body 203 and the refractor, reflecting sunlight to a destination in space. Specifically, the heater in the power drive unit 204 generates hot air to control the balloon's ascent and descent, the drone unit 216 in the power drive unit 204 changes the balloon's orientation and azimuth, and the rotating device 206 changes the balloon's pitch angle. Ultimately, through the combined action of the power drive unit 204 and the rotating device 206, the refractor can always track and receive the incident sunlight, reflecting it to a destination in space or on the ground.

[0035] Example 4 Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0036] like Figure 4 As shown, the aerial heliostat system 200 includes a balloon module 201, a light steering module 202, a control module 217, and a communication sensing module 218.

[0037] The balloon module 201 includes a balloon body 203 and a power drive device 204. The balloon body 203 serves as the carrier of the light-directing module 202, and its sphere itself is made of transparent material. The power drive device 204 is used to control the rotation and movement of the balloon body 203.

[0038] In this embodiment, the light steering module 202 includes a reflection / refractive device 205 and a rotation device 206. The reflection / refractive device 205 is a refracting mirror 210, and both are located inside the balloon body 203.

[0039] In this embodiment, the rotating device 206 includes a support 215 located inside the balloon, with one end of the support 215 supporting the rotating device 206. In this embodiment, the rotating device 206 is a gimbal capable of two-dimensional rotation, and a refracting mirror 210 is fixed on the gimbal. This arrangement allows the refracting mirror 210 to rotate inside the balloon body 203 driven by the gimbal, thereby adjusting the pitch and / or azimuth angle of the refracting mirror 210 for real-time solar tracking.

[0040] A power drive device 204 is provided on the outside of the balloon body 203. In this embodiment, the power drive device 204 consists of a frame, a heater that can generate hot air, an exhaust valve, and a drone assembly 216; wherein, the heater is mounted on the frame and controls the raising and lowering of the balloon body 203 by combining with the exhaust valve.

[0041] It should be noted that, since this embodiment uses a gimbal with two-dimensional rotation capability, only a heater combined with an exhaust valve is needed in the power drive device 204 to enable the system carrying the refractor 210 to track the sun in the air. Figure 4 The drone assembly 216 shown, as an incidental backup component, can assist the heater in adjusting the height of the balloon body 203 or in rotating the balloon body 203 around a vertical axis, but is not essential. However, in some other embodiments, if the gimbal used is a one-dimensional gimbal that can only rotate around a horizontal axis, then the drone assembly 216 becomes an essential component, responsible for driving the balloon body 203 to rotate around a vertical axis, thereby causing the internal refractor 210 to rotate synchronously.

[0042] The power drive device 204 and the rotating device 206, i.e. the gimbal, jointly control the height, orientation, and pitch angle of the balloon body 203 and the reflector 210 to reflect sunlight to a destination in space or on the ground.

[0043] The control module 217 and the communication sensor module 218 are used to connect and control the balloon module 201 and the light steering module 202, enabling them to work in coordination and receive remote control commands.

[0044] Example 5 Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of the fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, a primary heliostat system 212 is fixed to the ground by one or more cables 213, and one or more fixed or movable secondary heliostat systems 214 are arranged on the cables 213. The balloon modules 201 and light-directing modules 202 included in the primary heliostat system 212 and the secondary heliostat systems 214 can be implemented in ways similar to those described in the foregoing embodiments. In this embodiment, the entire system consists of multiple balloon modules 201 and light-directing modules 202.

[0046] In this embodiment, the main heliostat system 212 adopts the working mode of the power drive device 204 and the rotation device 206 shown in the fourth embodiment, and the cable 213 is fixed on the frame of the power drive device 204 contained in the balloon module 201 of the system.

[0047] In this embodiment, the sub-heliostat system 214 adopts the working mode of the power drive device 204 and the rotation device 206 shown in the third embodiment, wherein the power drive device 204 is mounted on the cable 213 or on an auxiliary platform thereon.

[0048] The advantage of this embodiment is that it allows a series of sub-heliostat systems 214 to be launched and operate simultaneously along with the main heliostat system 212, thereby improving the reliability and efficiency of the system.

[0049] In practical applications, the balloon module 201 contained in the above system can be replaced by airships or similar devices.

[0050] The setups and facilities proposed in this invention can be used not only in the planting and aquaculture industries, but also for purposes such as indoor lighting for human use. This invention is not limited to the embodiments discussed above. The above description of specific embodiments is intended to describe and illustrate the technical solutions involved in this invention. Obvious variations, substitutions, or combinations based on the teachings of this invention should also be considered to fall within the protection scope of this invention. The above specific embodiments are used to disclose the best implementation methods of this invention, so that those skilled in the art can apply various embodiments and alternative methods of this invention to achieve the objectives of this invention.

Claims

1. An aerial heliostat system, comprising a balloon module, and a light steering module, a control module, and a communication sensing module mounted on the balloon module; characterized in that: The balloon module includes a balloon body and a power drive device responsible for driving the balloon body to rotate around a vertical axis or move left, right, up, or down. The light steering module includes a reflection / refractive device and a rotating device. The rotating device is responsible for driving the reflection / refractive device to perform one-dimensional or two-dimensional rotational motion inside the balloon, or to follow the balloon and rotate around a certain horizontal axis outside the balloon. The power drive device of the balloon module works together with the rotation device of the light steering module to control the attitude and altitude of the balloon body and the reflection / refraction device and track the sun to reflect sunlight to a destination in space. The control module and communication sensing module are used to connect and control the balloon module and the light steering module, enabling them to work in coordination and receive remote control commands.

2. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The balloon body is made of transparent or opaque material.

3. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The light steering module is located inside or outside the balloon body.

4. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating device is located inside the balloon body and consists of a gimbal, which is supported by a support located inside the balloon body, and the reflecting / refracting device is fixed on the gimbal.

5. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The power drive unit includes a frame and a drone.

6. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reflection / refraction device is located inside the balloon and is driven by the drone.

7. The aerial heliostat system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heliostat system consists of multiple balloon modules and light-directing modules connected by cables.

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