Solar collector and cooperative solar collector system

Abstract

To secure stable heat collection efficiency and a safe and less expensive support/driving mechanism, a solar collector includes a tracking unit rotatably arranged around a drive shaft. The tracking unit includes a heat collection tube disposed in a longitudinal direction of the tracking unit and converts sunlight into heat. A collector has a reflection panel having a concave cross section in a lateral direction thereof for reflecting sunlight on the heat collection tube and a support member supporting the reflection panel from the backside. The heat collection tube 30 is fixed to the collector. The support member includes a tubular main pipe at a lowermost portion and in the longitudinal direction of the support member, and a plurality of flat support frames fixed to the upper portion of the main pipe in the lateral direction and vertically fixed to the backside of the reflection panel along the concave portion.

1 . A solar collector provided with a tracking unit that is rotatably arranged around a rotary shaft, the tracking unit comprising: a heat collection unit that is disposed in a longitudinal direction of the tracking unit and converts sunlight into heat by absorbing the sunlight; and a light collection unit that has a concave cross section in a lateral direction of the tracking unit and includes a mirror unit for reflecting the sunlight on the heat collection unit and a support member supporting the mirror unit from a backside of the mirror unit,
 wherein the heat collection unit is fixed to the light collection unit; and   wherein the support member includes a tubular first member disposed at a lowermost portion and in a longitudinal direction of the support member and a plurality of second members each having a boomerang shape,   wherein the second members are fixed to an upper portion of the first member in the lateral direction of the first member and vertically fixed to a backside of the mirror unit along a concave portion of the mirror unit.   
     
     
         2 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the second member has a V-shaped side extending toward each end of the second member from a center portion of the second member on a lower side of the second member, and the V-shaped side is provided with a thick portion   
     
     
         3 . The solar collector according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the thick portion of the V-shaped side is formed by a rib portion bended with a predetermined width.   
     
     
         4 . The solar collector according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the thick portion of the V-shaped side is formed by a rod member fixed to the V-shaped side.   
     
     
         5 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein an upper side of the second member is cut off in a light focusing curvature of the mirror unit, and the mirror unit is supported by the upper side.   
     
     
         6 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a distance between the rotary shaft and a gravity center position in a lateral cross section of the tracking unit is not more than ¼ of a width of the light collection unit in a lateral direction.   
     
     
         7 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first member further includes a plurality of flanges, and the plurality of second members are fastened and fixed to the first member, respectively, by the plurality of flanges.   
     
     
         8 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of second members are fixed to the first member by welding.   
     
     
         9 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the support member further includes two third members that fixes respective ends of each of the plurality of second members in the lateral direction of the tracking unit.   
     
     
         10 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heat collection unit has a tubular shape.   
     
     
         11 . The solar collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a driving mechanism for rotating the tracking unit so as to focus sunlight on the heat collection unit is connected to the rotary shaft.   
     
     
         12 . A cooperative solar collector system, comprising:
 two solar collectors according to  claim 1  which are arranged in a longitudinal direction of each of the two solar collectors; and   a common driving mechanism that is arranged at a center portion between the two solar collectors and rotates tracking units of the two solar collectors so as to focus sunlight on respective heat collection units.   
     
     
         13 . A cooperative solar collector system, comprising:
 a first solar collector system comprising two solar collectors according to  claim 1  which are arranged in a longitudinal direction of each of the two solar collectors, and a common driving mechanism that is arranged at a center portion between the two solar collectors and rotates tracking units of the two solar collectors so as to focus sunlight on respective heat collection units;   a plurality of second solar collector systems, each of which comprises two solar collectors according to  claim 1  which are arranged in a longitudinal direction of each of the two solar collectors, that are arranged in a lateral direction of the first solar collector system; and   a driving force transfer mechanism for transferring a rotation force of the common driving mechanism, which is provided in the first solar collector system, to each of the second solar collector systems.   
     
     
         14 . The cooperative solar collector system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the driving force transfer mechanism comprises:   a plurality of bar links disposed in each rotary shaft; and   a bar connection unit that is rotatably connected to each of the plurality of bar links through hinges.   
     
     
         15 . The cooperative solar collector system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the driving force transfer mechanism comprises a belt fit on pulleys which are connected to a plurality of the rotary shafts.