1791 results about "Solar energy harvesting" patented technology

A tracking solar power system is disclosed. The tracking solar power system includes: a solar power substructure and a platform having a first degree of freedom. The solar power substructure is mounted on the platform in a manner such that it has a second degree of freedom relative to the platform. The solar power substructure may include a solar collector and a receiver arranged to receive energy from the solar collector. The receiver may be mounted in a manner that avoids shading of the solar collector during operation. The solar collector may have an area focus at the receiver. The solar power substructure may include a non-concentrating solar power substructure.

Illumination systems, devices, and methods for cultivating biomasses. A bioreactor system is operable for growing photosynthetic organisms. The bioreactor system includes a bioreactor and an illumination system. The illumination system includes one more optical waveguides configured to light at least some of a plurality of photosynthetic organisms retained in the bioreactor. In some embodiments, the one or more optical waveguides include a plurality of structures configured to direct light energy from a solar energy collector, and a plurality of artificial light sources, along the interior of the waveguide. In some embodiments, the one more optical waveguides include a plurality of light-diffusing structures configured to guide at least a portion of the light from the solar energy collector and a plurality of artificial light sources directed along the interior of the waveguide, to the exterior of the waveguide.

A holographic planar concentrator (HPC) for collecting and concentrating optical radiation is provided. The holographic planar concentrator comprises a planar highly transparent plate and at least one multiplexed holographic optical film mounted on a surface thereof. The multiplexed holographic optical film has recorded therein a plurality of diffractive structures having one or more regions which are angularly and spectrally multiplexed. Two or more of the regions may be configured to provide spatial multiplexing. The HPC is fabricated by: (a) recording the plurality of diffractive structures in the multiplexed holographic optical film employing angular, spectral, and, optionally, spatial multiplexing techniques; and (b) mounting the multiplexed holographic optical film on one surface of the highly transparent plate. The recording of the plurality of diffractive structures is tailored to the intended orientation of the holographic planar concentrator to solar energy. The HPC is mounted in the intended orientation for collecting solar energy and at least one solar energy-collecting device is mounted along at least one edge of the holographic planar concentrator. Examples of suitable solar energy-collecting devices include photovoltaic cells and fiber optic light guides for transmitting collected light into an interior of a building for illumination purposes and for transmitting collected solar radiation into a hot water tank for heating. The HPC permits efficient collection of solar energy without expensive requirements, while minimizing energy losses.

A solar energy collection system can include support devices configured to accommodate misalignment of components during assembly. For example, the system can include piles fixed to the earth and an adjustable bearing assembly at the upper end of the pile. The adjustable bearing assembly can include at least one of a vertical adjustment device, a lateral adjustment device and an angular adjustment device. The solar energy collection system can also include a plurality of solar energy collection device pre-wired together and mounted to a support member so as to form modular units. The system can also include enhanced supports for wire trays extending between rows of solar energy collection devices.

The present invention is that of a solar energy system that uses a light-guide solar panel (LGSP) to trap light inside a dielectric or other transparent panel and propagates the light to one of the panel edges for harvesting by a solar energy collector such as a photovoltaic cell. This allows for very thin modules whose thickness is comparable to the height of the solar energy collector. This eliminates eliminating the depth requirements inherent in traditional concentrated photovoltaic solar energy systems.

A solar panel overlay for mounting on an underlying roof deck comprises a substrate and at least one row of photovoltaic cells on the substrate. The photovoltaic cells define a solar collecting surface having an appearance mimicking that of the underlying roof deck. A solar panel overlay assembly comprising a plurality of interconnect solar panel overlays is also provided.

A solar energy collector suitable for use in a solar energy collection system that tracks movements of the sun along at least one axis may have a plurality of reflector panels, a support structure that supports the reflector panels in a manner that defines a pair of adjacent reflector troughs, each trough having a base, a pair of reflective side walls and a trough aperture suitable for receiving incident sunlight during operation of the solar energy collection system, a frame that is coupled to the support structure near the bases of the troughs to define a closed reflector support truss framework in cooperation with the support structure, wherein the reflector support truss framework is positioned behind the reflector troughs such that the reflector support truss framework does not shadow the reflector panels during normal operation of the solar energy collector, and a plurality of solar receivers.

An adaptive solar concentrator system comprising a controller, a solar energy collector and a solar concentrator with variable concentration ratio is disclosed. The concentration ratio of the variable solar concentrator is varied to maximize the energy collection potential of the solar energy collector in response to fluctuations in incoming solar irradiation to best match the optimum operating conditions of the solar collector and to not exceed the maximum operating conditions of the solar collector for long term reliability.

An integrated optical system and method employs an optical concentrator, a spectral splitting assembly for splitting incident light into multiple beams of light, each with a different nominal spectral bandwidth; and an array of optical detector sites wherein each of the detector sites has a nominal spectral response and wherein the detector sites are spatially arranged to provide an arrangement of said detector sites which are spatially variant relative to said nominal spectral responses. Such a system can be used for purposes such as optical detection and solar collection to provide improved efficiency. Improved efficiency of collection and manufacture are obtainable with using such devices.

A solar power system is mounted to a solar power componentry support structure (104) suspended above a pre-existing surface (101) by a collective of solar collector suspension base supports (103) Suspended solar power system row support structure members (105) and suspended solar power system column support structure members (106) may for a solar component position lattice (107) to which a matrix of individual solar power components such as solar panels (18) can be attached Solar module quick-fasten assemblages (111) may serve also as solar componentry emergency releases (118) and may include loose axis retainers (128) and firm axis fasteners (127) such as dual component, single point operative emergency releases (121) and fasteners Slide-in retainers and corner slot tabs (136) can be included as well as frame alignment notches (138) Fulcrum pivot fasteners (139) and slide wedge releases (142) can aid in installation and release

PCT No. PCT / AU97 / 00864 Sec. 371 Date Jun. 18, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Jun. 18, 1999 PCT Filed Dec. 19, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO98 / 28579 PCT Pub. Date Jul. 2, 1998A solar energy collection system which includes n groups (13, 14) of arrayed reflectors (15) and n+1 target receiver systems (10, 11, 12) which represent absorbing surfaces to solar radiation that is reflected by the reflectors (15). The receiver systems (10, 11, 12) are elevated relative to the reflectors (15) and the reflectors are pivotally mounted to support structures (19) in a manner such that they may be positioned angularly to reflect incident radiation (I1, I2) toward one or the other of the receiver systems (10, 11, 12). The collector system is characterized in that a majority at least of the reflectors (15) within each group (13, 14) are arranged to be driven simultaneously to pivot through the same angle (+526 ), in that the reflectors (15) within each group (13, 14) are arrayed in two sub-groups (21 and 22), and in that a majority at least of the reflectors (15) within the respective sub-group (21 and 22) are oriented permanently toward respective ones of the receiver systems (10, 11, 12).

A modular shade system with solar tracking panels includes a series of generally North-South oriented, spaced apart torque tubes, each torque tube having an axis, a series of panels mounted to at least some of the torque tubes to create spaced-apart rows of panels along the torque tubes, at least some of the panels being solar collector panels. The system also includes a shade structure, positioned at a selected location between selected ones of the torque tubes and above the support surface so to provide an enhanced shaded region thereunder, and a support structure. The support structure includes a first mounting assembly mounting each torque tube above the support surface for rotation about the axis of each torque tube and a second mounting assembly supporting the shade structure at the selected location. The system further comprises a tilting assembly selectively rotating each torque tube about its axis.

An economical solar generator system is provided wherein the solar energy collector is constructed from a plurality of heat exchangers of the kind used as evaporators in automobile air conditioners. The solar generator system includes a plurality of said heat exchangers connected to receive incoming liquefied refrigerant under pressure. The number of such heat exchangers is sufficient to collect solar energy sufficient to induce a phase change from a liquid to a gas state. The solar generator system also includes an air motor and an electric generator. The air motor is coupled to the outflow heated gas from the plurality of heat exchangers. The air motor is rotated by the heated gas. The electrical generator is coupled to the air motor so that rotation of said air motor causes rotation of said generator.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to the design of inexpensive mounting and pointing apparatuses for linear arrays of solar energy collectors and converters. Particular embodiments in accordance with the present invention disclose a rigging system comprising at least one, and preferably a plurality of, tensile cables onto which a plurality of solar modules are fastened. Such an arrangement provides a way of suspending solar modules over land, vegetation, bodies of water, and other geographic features without substantial perturbation of the underlying terrain. Certain embodiments comprise additional tensile cables fastened to the solar modules, such that differential axial motion of the cables produces a rotational motion component of the individual solar modules of the array. This rotational motion component effects an orientation control along one rotational axis.

An integrated solar power system that provides electricity to external electrical devices has a trafficable surface formed from a plurality of roadway panels arranged with respect to each other. Each roadway panel has a solar energy collector, a layer of translucent and protective material covering the solar energy collector, the material being sufficiently translucent to allow passage of light therethrough for absorption of light by said solar energy collector and sufficiently protective to withstand the loads and the impact of pedestrian and vehicular traffic and having a sufficient coefficient of friction to allow passage thereon of pedestrians and vehicles without slippage, and an electrical conductor for extracting electrical power from the solar energy collector. Each roadway panel may be modularly connected to others. The roadway panel provides solar energy to at least one external electrical device or solar power storage member.

A novel modification of a Savonius rotor used as a wind turbine provides an exhaust channel in each vane. The vane of the modified Savonius rotor is formed into an “S” shape. The air that enters a given end of the vane exits that end through the new exhaust channel into the freestream. A plurality of modified Savonius rotors are stacked one on top of the other for self-starting and greater power output. The outer surfaces of the entire assembly may be coated with photo voltaic cell material for additional energy production. In one embodiment of the invention, a cone shaped solar collector is placed on top of the entire modified Savonius rotor assembly.

Apparatus is provided for securing solar energy collection devices to a roof. A plurality of rails (103, 104) are provided. Each rail is attachable to a roof (102) at mutually displaced positions and defines a rail slot (702, 915). Attachment devices (917) are provided, each configured to engage with a rail slot (702, 915) such that in a first condition the devices are free to move along the slot and in the second condition the devices are secured within the slot. The attachment devices (917) include an engaging portion (919) that protrudes from the slot to engage with a solar energy collection device.

In one aspect of the present invention, a solar energy collection system that includes multiple longitudinally adjacent collectors is described. The collectors are coupled end to end to form a collector row. The collector row extends along a longitudinal axis and is arranged to rotate about a pivot axis to track the sun in at least one dimension. Each collector includes a reflector, one or more solar receivers and a support structure. The support structure includes a tube assembly that underlies the reflector. The tube assemblies of the collector row are arranged end to end along the longitudinal axis. There is a space between the tube assemblies of adjacent collectors in the collector row, where the reflectors of the adjacent collectors extend beyond the underlying tube assemblies to form a substantially continuous reflective surface over the space. A coupling device is positioned in the space between the tube assemblies. The coupling device connects and helps to rotate the tube assemblies of the adjacent collectors. Some embodiments relate to various types of coupling devices and collector arrangements.

A vehicle equipped to provide to a docking facility at a home or business structure, electric power derived from solar collectors formed on the surface of the vehicle, and the docking facility for receiving such power. Also provided is a system for providing to the public electric power grid such power received from a plurality of vehicles, and for compensating the owners. Corresponding methods of operation are also provided.

A digital fluid heating system may include a solar collection system configured for focusing sunlight on a focal axis, an elongated flow element arranged and configured for transporting fluid along the solar collection system at the focal axis, and a flow-control assembly comprising a digitally controlled valve configured to control the flow of the fluid in the elongated flow element such that pathogens present in the fluid are substantially inactivated before the fluid exits the fluid heating system and at a maximized flow rate under the given energy providing conditions. The system may also include one or more digital controls and communication systems for remote and / or automatic control.

An apparatus for generating electricity using both solar energy and a gas turbine includes (a) a gas turbine electric generator; (b) a solar energy collector array; (c) a vaporizer for vaporizing a working fluid liquid, such as water, using thermal energy derived from the solar energy collector array; (d) one or more superheaters for superheating working fluid vapor produced in the vaporizer; and (e) a working fluid vapor turbine electric generator, such as a steam turbine electric generator, the working fluid vapor turbine electric generator being driven by the superheated working fluid vapor. The apparatus is configured such that all of the working fluid vapor exiting the one or more superheaters is that which is produced in the vaporizer.

A sunlight collecting system and a solar energy utilization system which collects sunlight with the sunlight collecting system are provided, a sunlight collecting system including a solar heat collector which includes a heat collecting element which is formed by a helically wound heat exchange medium circulation pipe inside which the heat exchange medium flows, in such a way to have an incurved light receiving surface which narrows and converges towards the sunlight inlet and a sunlight collecting reflector which includes a reflector group which includes a plurality of reflector segments each of which includes a reflecting surface which makes sunlight converge on a heat collector, a sunlight collecting system in which a plurality of heliostats Bm are arranged in places which are irradiated by the sunlight between a plurality of heliostats An, in which each of the heliostats An and the heliostats Bm reflect light in a direction to a light collecting point of a heliostat group in which the heliostat is included.

An apparatus and method for collecting solar energy are provided. The apparatus is a trough-type solar collector having one or more mirrors and lenses for directing solar radiation toward a receiver configured to receive a heat transfer fluid therein. The amount of solar radiation directed toward the receiver can be controlled by adjusting one or more of the mirrors and / or lenses or by adjusting a shade. Thus, the collector can direct different amounts or solar radiation toward the receiver, thereby selectively heating the receiver at different rates, e.g., to preheat the receiver, to heat fluid in the receiver for power generation, or to thaw solidified fluid in the receiver. Subsequently, the heated fluid can be used to generate steam and / or electricity.