Solar heat collecting system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solar heat collectors, particularly non-focusing types, have low energy collection efficiency and require large, heavy structures with complex control systems, making them costly and inefficient for high-temperature thermal energy generation.
Innovation Solution
A solar heat collecting system with a paraboloid-shaped collecting mirror, a projection mirror, and a reflecting mirror, integrated with a gyro gimbal and motorized control units, allowing for precise sun tracking and focusing sunlight onto a fixed receiver, enhancing energy concentration and reducing structural and operational costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a focusing reflecting mirror is used to concentrate sunlight, then high temperature thermal energy can be obtained, but the receiver size and weight are restricted and add load to support and rotation parts
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the receiver to track the sun, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the receiver fixed and moving the mirrors (primary and secondary) to track the sun and redirect sunlight to the fixed receiver. This eliminates the need for a heavy, movable receiver while still achieving high temperature concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the mirror system into multiple segments (primary mirror and secondary mirror) that work together. The primary mirror collects sunlight and the secondary mirror redirects it to the fixed receiver, allowing the system to achieve high concentration ratios without requiring a large, heavy receiver.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a large size receiver is used to receive heat, then more solar energy can be collected, but it shades the area of the reflecting mirror's surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional arrangement by making the receiver small and fixed while using movable mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto it. This eliminates the shading problem because the receiver no longer needs to be large to capture sunlight directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a two-mirror system that adds dimensional complexity to redirect sunlight from a large collecting area to a small receiver. The primary mirror collects energy over a large area and the secondary mirror redirects it along a different path to the fixed receiver, effectively decoupling the collecting area from the receiver size.
3Temperature
If a heliostat system with fixed focus is used, then sunlight can be concentrated, but the control system becomes extremely complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the control system into separate control units for the primary mirror and secondary mirror. Each mirror has its own tracking and positioning control, which simplifies the overall control architecture compared to controlling a single large movable receiver or complex heliostat array.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary mirror acts as an intermediary between the primary mirror and the fixed receiver. It redirects the concentrated sunlight from the primary mirror to the receiver, allowing both mirrors to be relatively simple in design while achieving the desired concentration effect.
4Device complexity
If non-focusing heat collector is used, then the structure is simpler, but the energy collection efficiency is low and energy quality is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional focusing approach by using fixed mirrors with the receiver positioned to receive concentrated sunlight. This achieves high concentration ratios and energy quality while maintaining simpler structural requirements compared to large movable receiver systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high heat conversion efficiency with a concentration ratio exceeding 100,000 times, reducing costs and space requirements while maintaining simplicity and safety, making it more viable for civil and industrial thermal power generation.
Implementation Method 1
a collecting mirror (1) for tracking the sun in real time... the focus of which is coincident with that of the collecting mirror
Implementation Method 2
a projection mirror (2) that is disposed coaxially and integrally with the collecting mirror and the focus of which is coincident with that of the collecting mirror
Implementation Method 3
a reflecting mirror (5) is disposed at the side of the collecting mirror opposite to the projection mirror... a receiver (3) is fixedly disposed at the extending direction of the primary optical axis line of the reflecting mirror
Implementation Method 4
a receiver for receiving heat and storing energy
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5a
AI summary
A solar heat collecting system includes a collecting mirror (1), a receiver (3), an electrical control unit for controlling the collecting mirror (1) to track the sun, a projection mirror disposed coaxially and integrally with the collecting mirror and the focus of which is coincident with that of the collecting mirror (1), a through hole (11) disposed at the collecting mirror (1) and the size of which is larger than that of the light spot of the projection mirror (2) and far smaller than the through hole of the collecting mirror (1), and a reflecting mirror (5) disposed at the side of the collecting mirror (1) opposite to the projection mirror (2). The reflecting mirror (5), the collecting mirror (1), and the projection mirror (2) form a mirror assembly, and the receiver (3) is fixedly disposed at the extending direction of the primary optical axis line of the reflecting mirror (5). A first motor, disposed at the primary optical axis line for driving the whole mirror assembly to rotate around the center of the reflecting mirror, is connected to the electrical control unit and runs under control thereof. The solar heat collecting system can effectively improve solar concentration ratio.