Concentrator, method, and system for utilizing radiant energy

Claim 3

The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of reflecting the rays includes disposing the primary reflective surfaces along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflective surfaces being independent of each other and disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder and each being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward said focus.

Claim 4

The method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the step of converging the reflected rays includes relating the disposition of each of the inclined primary reflective surfaces in a fixed relation during reflecting such that the rays always converge to an image at said focus and cause the focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of said source in its path.

Claim 5

The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein said predetermined path is a locus of points coincident with a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion of the surface being generally opposite on said cylinder of said first portion.

Claim 6

The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said plurality of primary reflective surfaces are in the form of slats which are disposed longitudinally and adjacent one another on said first portion of said cylindrical surface such that they lie parallel to the axis of said cylinder and wherein said focus is along a line parallel to the axis on said second portion of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 7

The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein the inclination of each slat with respect to said first plane is by an angle equal to one-quarter of the position angle of each slat with respect to a second plane (a) also containing the axis of said cylinder and (b) being normal to said given first plane, said position angle of each slat being that angle which lies between said second plane and a line connecting the center of the width of each slat to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 8

The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said target is a pipe disposed parallel to said axis and in coincidence with said locus and the moving of the target includes supporting said pipe on a plurality of radial arms pivoted at the axis of said cylinder so that said pipe is movable along said locus.

Claim 9

The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the moving of the target further includes applying power to said radial arms to cause them to rotate about said pivot points and synchronizing the rotative movement to automatically effect coincidence between the movement of the pipe and that of the linear focus as it moves in its locus.

Claim 10

The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said primary reflective surfaces cause said focus to move in said predetermined path only in response to the varying of a component of the angle of the energy source with respect to said first plane, said component being that which results from projecting a line connecting the axis of said cylinder to the energy source onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 11

The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein the source of energy is the sun and its movement is relative to the rotation of the earth so that the rays emitted from the sun are incident upon the surface of the earth in continuously varying angles.

Claim 12

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the given orientation is generally along an east-west line and the given first plane is a horizontal plane.

Claim 13

The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein said primary reflective surfaces cause said focus to move along said locus only in response to the varying of a component oF the angle of the sun with respect to the horizontal, said component being that which results from projecting a line connecting the axis of said cylinder to the sun onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 14

The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein a secondary reflective surface is disposed substantially at said focus in a manner to move in coincidence therewith to reduce the reflected image from said primary reflective surfaces and further concentrate the heating effect of the rays on said target.

Claim 15

The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein said secondary reflective surface is elliptical in form.

Claim 16

The method in accordance with claim 13 wherein said secondary reflective surface is hyperbolic in form and is disposed inwardly of said focus between said focus and said primary reflective surfaces.

Claim 17

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used to derive useful work and further comprises the step of storing heat from a portion of the concentrated heat in a stone-filled chamber so that a reserve supply of energy is available when the sun is not available as an energy source.

Claim 18

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for the production of electrical power and further comprises the steps of supplying the target with water to produce steam and deriving work from the steam to operate electrical generating apparatus.

Claim 19

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for the production of electrical power and further comprises the steps of supplying the target with air, exchanging the heat from the air to produce steam, and deriving work from the steam to operate electrical generating apparatus.

Claim 20

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for the production of electrical power and further comprises the steps of supplying the target with compressed gas and deriving work from the heated compressed gas to operate electrical generating apparatus.

Claim 21

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for the production of electrical power and further comprises the steps of supplying the target with N2O4 to operate electrical generating apparatus.

Claim 22

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for the decomposition of water into H2 and O2.

Claim 23

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for metallurgical processes.

Claim 24

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for gasification of coal and oil.

Claim 25

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for chemical processes.

Claim 26

The method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentrated heat is used for laboratory purposes.

Claim 29

The method in accordance with claim 26 wherein the step of reflecting the rays includes disposing the primary reflective surfaces along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflected surfaces being independent of each other and disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder, each surface Being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward the image at said first focus and the step of converging the reflected rays to the image at said first focus includes disposing the inclined primary reflective surfaces in a fixed relation during reflecting such that the rays always converge to the image at said first focus and cause said first focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of the energy source in its path.

Claim 30

The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein said predetermined path is a locus of points coincident with a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being generally opposite on said cylinder of said first portion, wherein said plurality of primary reflective surfaces are in the form of slats which are disposed longitudinally and adjacent one another on said first portion of said cylindrical surface such that they lie parallel to said axis, and wherein said focus is along a line parallel to said axis on said second portion of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 31

The method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the inclination of each slat with respect to said first plane is by an angle equal to one-quarter of the position angle of each slat with respect to a second plane (a) also containing the axis of said cylinder and (b) being normal to said given first plane, said position angle of each slat being that angle which lies between said second plane and a line connecting the center of the width of each slat to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 32

The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein the step of reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at said second focus includes a secondary reflective surface having an elliptical form with two foci, said second reflective surface being disposed with one of its two foci being substantially in coincidence with the image of said first focus and wherein said target is disposed to move in coincidence with the other of the two foci of said secondary reflective surface.

Claim 33

The method in accordance with claim 27 wherein the step of reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at said second focus includes a secondary reflective surface having an hyperbolic form disposed so that said first focus is the virtual image of said secondary reflective surface and said second focus coincides with the real image of said secondary reflective surface and wherein said target is disposed to move substantially in coincidence with the real image of said secondary reflective surface.

Claim 34

A method in accordance with claim 27 wherein said target is fixed at the axis of said cylinder and wherein the step of reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at said second focus includes two secondary reflective surfaces disposed so that one of said secondary reflective surfaces moves substantially in coincidence with said first focus as said first focus moves in said predetermined path and reflects the image to the other of said secondary reflective surfaces, the other of said reflective surfaces being disposed to move rotatably to always receive, reflect, and converge the reflected rays to an image at said second focus in coincidence with said fixed target.

Claim 35

The method in accordance with claim 32 wherein more than two of said secondary reflective surfaces are related to each other such that the images from more than one such arrangement of primary reflective surfaces is translated to only a single common target fixed at one such axis.

Claim 36

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, comprising an arrangement of a plurality of linear reflective surfaces for reflecting the rays and converging the reflected rays at a linear focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the source of energy in its path, linear means for recEiving the converged rays, means for moving said receiving means in said predetermined path, and means for synchronizing the movement of said receiving means with said focus as said focus moves in said predetermined path.

Claim 37

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, comprising an arrangement of a plurality of linear reflective surfaces for reflecting the rays and converging the reflected rays at a linear focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the source of energy in its path, linear means for recEiving the converged rays, means for moving said receiving means in said predetermined path, and means for synchronizing the movement of said receiving means with said focus as said focus moves in said predetermined path.

Claim 38

The concentrator in accordance with claim 34 wherein said primary reflective surfaces are disposed along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflective surfaces being independent of each other and being disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder, each surface being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward said focus as it moves in said predetermined path, the disposition of the surfaces being fixed during reflecting so that the rays always converge at and cause said focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of the energy source in its path.

Claim 39

The concentrator in accordance with claim 35 wherein said predetermined path is a locus of points coincident with a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being generally opposite on said cylinder of said first portion, wherein said plurality of primary reflective surfaces are in the form of slats which are disposed longitudinally of said cylinder and adjacent one another on said first portion of said cylindrical surface such that they lie parallel to the axis of said cylinder, and wherein said focus is along a line parallel to the axis on said second portion of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 40

The concentrator in accordance with claim 36 wherein the inclination of each slat with respect to said first plane is by an angle equal to one-quarter of the position angle of each slat with respect to a second plane (a) also containing the axis of said cylinder and (b) being normal to said given first plane, said position angle of each slat being that angle which lies between said second plane and a line connecting the center of the width of each slat to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 41

The concentrator in accordance with claim 34 wherein the means for receiving the collected rays is a pipe disposed parallel to said axis through which a fluid is passable.

Claim 42

The concentrator in accordance with claim 38 wherein said pipe is enclosed in a transparent tube, said tube being oversized and causing a space to exist between the inside of the tube wall and the outside of the pipe wall.

Claim 43

The concentrator in accordance with claim 39 wherein a vacuum is created in said space between the pipe and the tube.

Claim 44

The concentrator in accordance with claim 34 wherein said means for moving said receiving means in said predetermined path includes a plurality of radial arms for supporting said receiving means, said arms being pivotally connected at the axis of said cylinder to other supports so that said receiving means is movable along said predetermined path.

Claim 45

The concentrator in accordance with claim 34 wherein said synchronizing means is a servomechanism to control the movement of said receiving means automatically in coincidence with the movement of said focus as said focus moves in said predetermined path.

Claim 46

The concentrator in accordance with claim 37 wherein the source of energy is the sun and its movement is relative to the rotation of the earth so that the rays emitted from the sun are incident upon the surface of the earth in continuously varying angles.

Claim 47

The concentrator in accordance with claim 43 wherein the given orientation is generally along an east-west line and the given first plane is a horizontal plane.

Claim 48

The concentrator in accordance with claim 44 wherein said slats are embedded in the earth''s surface in said arrangement.

Claim 49

A concentrator in accordance with claim 44 wherein said arrangement of slats is laterally inclined as a unit, the slats on the side of the arrangement away from the sun for the substantial part of The day being elevated above the slats on the side of the arrangement toward the sun such that a tangent at the lateral midpoint of the arrangement is inclined with respect to the horizontal by a predetermined angle.

Claim 50

A concentrator in accordance with claim 44 wherein all slats of said arrangement while disposed in their respective position angles are tilted from their angles with respect to the horizontal by an equal amount toward the direction occupied by the sun for the substantial part of the day.

Claim 51

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, comprising an arrangement of a plurality of linear primary reflective surfaces for reflecting the rays and converging the reflected rays to an image at a first linear focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the energy source in its path, means for reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at a second linear focus as said first focus moves in its predetermined path, the image at said second focus being reduced in size from that of said first focus, linear means for receiving the converged rays at said second focus, means for moving said first focus reflecting and converging means in said predetermined path, and means for synchronizing the movement of said first focus reflecting and converging means with the image of said first focus as said first focus moves in said predetermined path.

Claim 52

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, comprising an arrangement of a plurality of linear primary reflective surfaces for reflecting the rays and converging the reflected rays to an image at a first linear focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the energy source in its path, means for reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at a second linear focus as said first focus moves in its predetermined path, the image at said second focus being reduced in size from that of said first focus, linear means for receiving the converged rays at said second focus, means for moving said first focus reflecting and converging means in said predetermined path, and means for synchronizing the movement of said first focus reflecting and converging means with the image of said first focus as said first focus moves in said predetermined path.

Claim 53

The concentrator in accordance with claim 48 wherein said primary reflective surfaces are disposed along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflective surfaces being independent of each other and being disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder, each surface being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward said first focus as it moves in said predetermined path, the disposition of the surfaces being fixed during reflecting so that the rays always converge at and cause said first focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of the energy source in its path.

Claim 54

The concentrator in accordance with claim 49 wherein said predetermined path is a locus of points coincident with a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being generally opposite on said cylinder of said first portion, wherein said plurality of primary reflective surfaces are in the form of slats which are disposed longitudinally of said cylinder and adjacent one another on said first portion of said cylindrical surface such that they lie parallel to the axis of said cylinder, and wherein said focus is along a line parallel to the axis on said second portion of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 55

The concentrator in accordance with claim 50 wherein the inclination of each slat with respect to said first plane is by an angle equal to one-quarter of the position angle of each slat with respect to a second plane (a) also containing the axis of said cylinder and (b) being normal to said given first plane, said position angle of each slat being that angle which lies between said second plane and a line connecting the center of the width of each slat to the axis of said cylinder.

Claim 56

The concentrator in accordance with claim 50 wherein said means for reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at said second focus includes a secondary reflective surface having an elliptical form with two foci, said second reflective surface being disposed with one of its two foci substantially in coincidence with the image of said first focus and wherein said means for receiving the converged rays at said second focus is disposed to move in coincidence with the other of the two foci of said secondary reflective surface.

Claim 57

The concentrator in accordance with claim 50 wherein said means for reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflected rays to an image at said second focus includes a secondary reflective surface having an hyperbolic form disposed so that said first focus is the virtual image of said secondary reflective surface and said second focus coincides with the real image of said secondary reflective surface and wherein said means for receiving the converged rays at said second focus is disposed to move substantially in coincidence with the real image of said secondary focus.

Claim 58

The concentrator in accordance with claim 50 wherein said means for receiving the converged rays at said second focus is fixed at the axis of said cylinder and wherein said means for reflecting the image of said first focus and converging the reflective rays to an image at said second focus includes two secondary reflective surfaces disposed so that one of said secondary reflective surfaces moves in coincidence with said first focus as it moves in said predetermined path and reflects the image to the other of said secondary reflective surfaces, said other of said secondary reflective surfaces being disposed to move rotatably to always receive the image reflected from said first focus and to reflect and converge the reflected rays to an image at said second focus in coincidence with said fixed receiving means.

Claim 59

The concentrator in accordance with claim 54 wherein more than two of said secondary reflective surfaces are related to each other such that the images from more than one such arrangement of primary reflective surfaces is translated to only a single common target fixed at one such axis.

Claim 60

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy, comprising a primary reflector of essentially planar slats having reflective surfaces, said slats being disposed longitudinally adjacent one another along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder, said reflective surfaces facing the interior of said cylinder and their orientation being such that essentially parallel rays impinging on said reflective surfaces are focused along a line extending parallel to the axis of said cylinder and lying on a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being essentially opposite on said cylinder of said first portion.

Claim 61

A concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy, comprising a primary reflector of essentially planar slats having reflective surfaces, said slats being disposed longitudinally adjacent one another along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder, said reflective surfaces facing the interior of said cylinder and their orientation being such that essentially parallel rays impinging on said reflective surfaces are focused along a line extending parallel to the axis of said cylinder and lying on a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being essentially opposite on said cylinder of said first portion.

Claim 62

The concentrator in accordance with claim 56 further comprising a secondary reflector disposed adjacent the focus for translating and further concentrating the heating effect of the rays.

Claim 63

In a concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, a reflector having a focal length of twice the radius of general curvature of said reflector for reflecting and converging the reflected rays to an image at a focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the energy source in its path, said reflector comprising an arrangement of a plurality of reflective surfaces, said arrangement being disposed along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder having as its radius the radius of general curvature and being generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflective surfaces being independent of each other and being disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder, each surface being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward said focus as it moves in said predetermined path, the disposition of the surfaces being fixed during reflecting so that the rays always converge at and cause said focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of the energy source in its path.

Claim 64

In a concentrator for concentrating the heating effect of rays emitted from a source of energy moving in a path, a reflector having a focal length of twice the radius of general curvature of said reflector for reflecting and converging the reflected rays to an image at a focus which moves in a predetermined path in response to the movement of the energy source in its path, said reflector comprising an arrangement of a plurality of reflective surfaces, said arrangement being disposed along a first portion of the surface of a cylinder having as its radius the radius of general curvature and being generated about an axis which (a) has a given orientation and (b) lies in a given first plane, said plurality of reflective surfaces being independent of each other and being disposed with their reflective surfaces facing the interior of the cylinder, each surface being inclined with respect to said first plane such that the reflected rays are directed toward said focus as it moves in said predetermined path, the disposition of the surfaces being fixed during reflecting so that the rays always converge at and cause said focus to move in said predetermined path in response to the moving of the energy source in its path.

Claim 65

The reflector in accordance with claim 58 wherein said predetermined path is a locus of points coincident with a second portion of the surface of said cylinder, said second portion being generally opposite on said cylinder of said first portion, wherein saiD plurality of primary reflective surfaces are in the form of salts which are disposed longitudinally of said cylinder and adjacent one another on said first portion of said cylindrical surface such that they lie parallel to the axis of said cylinder, and wherein said focus is along a line parallel to the axis on said second portion of said cylindrical surface.

Claim 66

The reflector in accordance with claim 59 wherein the inclination of each slat with respect to said first plane is by an angle equal to one-quarter of the position angle of each slat with respect to a second plane (a) also containing the axis of said cylinder and (b) being normal to said given first plane, said position angle of each slat being that angle which lies between said second plane and a line connecting the center of the width of each slat to the axis of said cylinder.