Thin solar concentrator

Abstract

The present invention is an electro-optical system for collecting solar energy and converting it into electrical energy. It is an enclosed concentrator that will last long in harsh environment. It is made up of a matrix of modules, each collecting sunlight, concentrating it on a solar chip, and producing an electrical output. It conducts the unwanted heat away because the first radiation receiving surface is made of metal. It is not monolithic, but rather is made of half metal and half glass, and the structures are a parabola and an ellipse. As a result the present invention advantageously fills the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a thin solar concentrator that is light weight, cheaper to manufacture than currently known solar concentrators, and which further can be used in a high powered solar concentrator for hydrogen generation.

1 . A solar concentrator comprising: a parabolic reflector having an edge, an opening and a focal point; a cover having a top and a bottom and further being made up of an first surface that allows light to pass through and an elliptical concentrator portion, with the elliptical concentrator having a first focal point in line with the cover glass and a second focal point, wherein the second focal point of the elliptical concentrator is in the same location as the focal point of the parabolic reflector; and a solar cell located below the opening of the parabolic reflector; wherein at least a portion of the bottom of the cover surface rests on the edge of the parabolic reflector; and wherein the parabolic reflector collects light and redirects the light to the first focal point of the elliptical concentrator and onto the elliptical concentrator, upon which the elliptical concentrator refocuses the light through the second focal point and onto the solar cell. 
   
   
       2 . The solar concentrator of  claim 1  further comprising a light pipe having a side wall, a top periphery and a bottom periphery, wherein the side wall of the light pipe is disposed within the opening of the parabolic reflector. 
   
   
       3 . The solar concentrator of  claim 2  wherein the second focal point lies within the light pipe. 
   
   
       4 . The solar concentrator of  claim 3  wherein the parabolic reflector is polished and mirrored. 
   
   
       5 . The solar concentrator of  claim 4  wherein the parabolic reflector is made of a thin metal. 
   
   
       6 . The solar concentrator of  claim 4  wherein the parabolic reflector is made of plastic and coated with a thin metal. 
   
   
       7 . The solar concentrator of  claim 5  wherein the metal the parabolic reflector is made of is aluminum. 
   
   
       8 . The solar concentrator of  claim 6  wherein the metal coating of the parabolic reflector is a chrome plating. 
   
   
       9 . The solar concentrator of  claim 6  wherein the metal coating of the parabolic reflector is selected from the group consisting of nickel, chromium and a nickel-chromium alloy. 
   
   
       10 . The solar concentrator of  claim 7  wherein the first surface of the cover is transparent. 
   
   
       11 . The solar concentrator of  claim 10  wherein the first surface of the cover is made of plain glass. 
   
   
       12 . The solar concentrator of  claim 10  wherein the first surface of the cover is made of plastic. 
   
   
       13 . The solar concentrator of  claim 11  wherein the depth of the solar concentrator from the top of the cover glass to the focal point of the parabola concentrator is in the range of between about 1 cm to about 20 cm. 
   
   
       14 . The solar concentrator of  claim 13  wherein the depth of the solar concentrator from the top of the cover glass to the focal point of the parabola concentrator is about 6.6 cm. 
   
   
       15 . The solar concentrator of  claim 14  wherein the depth of the parabolic reflector is 66 mm. 
   
   
       16 . The solar concentrator of  claim 15  wherein the aspect ratio of the solar concentrator is between 3:1 and 4:1. 
   
   
       17 . The solar concentrator of  claim 17  wherein the depth of the solar concentrator from the top of the cover glass to the focal point of the parabola concentrator is about 10 centimeters. 
   
   
       18 . The solar concentrator of  claim 17  wherein the depth of the solar concentrator from the top of the cover glass to the focal point of the parabola concentrator is about 15 centimeters. 
   
   
       19 . The solar concentrator of  claim 17  wherein the elliptical concentrator portion is between about 5 to about 10 percent of the surface area of the cover surface. 
   
   
       20 . A solar concentrator array comprising: a plurality of connected solar concentrators, with each of the solar concentrators having a parabolic reflector having an edge, an opening and a focal point; a cover having a top and a bottom and further being made up of an first surface that allows light to pass through and an elliptical concentrator portion, with the elliptical concentrator having a first focal point in line with the cover glass and a second focal point, wherein the second focal point of the elliptical concentrator is in the same location as the focal point of the parabolic reflector; a light pipe having a side wall, a top periphery and a bottom periphery, wherein the side wall of the light pipe is disposed within the opening of the parabolic reflector, and a solar cell is located below the bottom periphery of the light pipe; wherein at least a portion of the bottom of the cover surface rests on the edge of the parabolic reflector; and wherein the parabolic reflector collects light and redirects the light to the first focal point of the elliptical concentrator and onto the elliptical concentrator, upon which the elliptical concentrator refocuses the light through the second focal point, which lies within the light pipe, and onto the solar cell located below the bottom periphery of the light pipe.