Solid-Optic Cassegrain Solar Collector With Permanent Mirror Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional concentrating solar collectors are expensive to produce and maintain due to the need for precise assembly and alignment of separate reflectors or lenses, which can become misaligned or dirty over time.

Innovation Solution

A Cassegrain-type concentrating solar collector with primary and secondary mirrors directly formed onto a solid, light-transmitting optical element, ensuring permanent alignment and minimizing maintenance costs, while also eliminating the need for a separate printed circuit board and facilitating easy cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If separate reflectors or lenses are used to focus light beams, then concentrating solar collection is achieved, but assembly and alignment costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the reflector and lens into a single integrated optical element with combined reflective and refractive surfaces. This eliminates the need for separate components and their complex assembly, reducing both manufacturing costs and alignment requirements while maintaining the light-concentrating function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical element performs multiple functions simultaneously: it reflects light via its curved reflective surface, refracts light via its refractive portion, and focuses the combined light paths onto the photovoltaic cell. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate optical components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of repair

If separate reflectors or lenses are used, then light concentration is achieved, but maintenance costs increase due to misalignment and dirt accumulation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance costVSAvoidalignment stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By combining the reflector and lens into one monolithic optical element, the patent eliminates relative movement between components that causes misalignment. The integrated design ensures permanent alignment stability while reducing maintenance requirements for cleaning and adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using separate components that require periodic realignment, the patent inverts the approach by using a single integrated element where the optical paths are fixed by design. This eliminates the maintenance issue of drifting alignment that plagues multi-component systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Quantity of substance

If large semiconductor substrates are used in flat-panel collectors, then sufficient light absorption is achieved, but material costs and area requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesemiconductor material amountVSAvoidlight absorption efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines reflective and refractive optical functions in a single element that concentrates sunlight onto a small photovoltaic cell. This concentration approach reduces the semiconductor material area needed by more than 100 times compared to flat-panel collectors, while maintaining high light absorption efficiency through multiple light-path concentration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This design simplifies manufacturing, reduces production and maintenance costs, and maintains optimal optical operation by minimizing light loss and eliminating the need for complex assembly and alignment procedures.

Implementation Method 1

reflecting the light between primary and secondary mirrors attached to opposing internal surfaces of a solid, light-transmitting (e.g., glass) optical element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a solid, light-transmitting (e.g., glass) optical element

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Implementation Method 3

a photovoltaic cell is mounted to convert the light into electrical energy

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhotovoltaic effect: Photovoltaic Effect

Data Source

PatentUS7906722B2Concentrating solar collector with solid optical element

Publication Date: 2011.03.15 XEROX CORP

AI summary

A Cassegrain-type concentrating solar collector cell includes primary and secondary mirrors disposed on opposing convex and concave surfaces of a light-transparent (e.g., glass) optical element. Light enters an aperture surrounding the secondary mirror, and is reflected by the primary mirror toward the secondary mirror, which re-reflects the light onto a photovoltaic cell mounted on a central region surrounded by the convex surface. The primary and secondary mirrors are preferably formed as mirror films that are deposited or plated directly onto the optical element. A concentrating solar collector array includes a sheet-like optical panel including multiple optical elements arranged in rows. The photovoltaic cells are mounted directly onto the optical panel, and the primary mirrors of the individual collector cells include metal film segments that are coupled by the photovoltaic cells to facilitate transmission of the generated electrical energy. Bypass diodes are connected in parallel with the photovoltaic cells.