US2013112188A1PendingUtilityA1

Control and tracking system and method for a solar power generation system

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Aug 19, 2011Filed: Aug 17, 2012Published: May 9, 2013
Est. expiryAug 19, 2031(~5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Glenn A. Reynolds
F24S 23/74F24S 40/52Y02E10/47F24S 25/13F24S 2025/013F24S 30/425F24S 50/40F24S 50/20Y02E10/40F24S 2020/23F24J 2/12F24J 2/38
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Claims

Abstract

Embodiments of a solar reflector assembly and methods of controlling a solar reflector assembly are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling a solar reflector assembly comprising at least one frame, at least one reflector mounted on the frame, a control system configured to move the frame, and a tube having a central axis and configured to have therein a heat transfer fluid being heated by the reflector focusing sunlight onto a focal line configured to be generally aligned with the central axis, the tube coupled to the frame with at least one tube support, the method comprising:
 determining an offset between the focal line and the central axis; and   moving the frame to move the central axis toward the focal line to reduce the offset.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least a portion of the tube support is deflected by a load on the tube support. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least a plurality of frame members of the frame is deflected by a load on the frame. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least one part of the frame is misaligned relative to another part of the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when the frame is misaligned relative to another frame. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring the position of the central axis relative to the focal line. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining offset comprises computing the position of the central axis relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring an intensity of light focused on the tube by the reflector with an optical sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring a temperature of the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         10 . A solar reflector assembly comprising:
 at least one frame;   at least one reflector mounted on the frame;   a tube having a central axis and configured to have therein a heat transfer fluid being heated by the reflector focusing sunlight onto a focal line configured to be generally aligned with the central axis, the tube coupled to the frame with at least one tube support; and   a control system configured to move the frame, the control system comprising a processor and a data storage device, wherein the processor is configured to execute a code stored in the data storage device to:
 determine an offset between the focal line and the central axis; and 
 move the frame to move the central axis toward the focal line to reduce the offset. 
   
     
     
         11 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least a portion of the tube support is deflected by a load on the tube support. 
     
     
         12 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least a plurality of frame members of the frame is deflected by a load on the frame. 
     
     
         13 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when at least one part of the frame is misaligned relative to another part of the frame. 
     
     
         14 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the offset corresponds to a position of the central axis relative to the focal line when the frame is misaligned relative to another frame. 
     
     
         15 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring the position of the central axis relative to the focal line. 
     
     
         16 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein determining offset comprises computing the position of the central axis relative to the central axis. 
     
     
         17 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring an intensity of light focused on the tube by the reflector with an optical sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 10 , wherein determining the offset comprises measuring a temperature of the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a solar reflector assembly comprising at least one frame, at least one reflector mounted on the frame, a control system configured to move the frame, and a tube configured to have therein a heat transfer fluid being heated by the reflector focusing sunlight on the tube, the tube coupled to the frame with at least one tube support, the method comprising:
 determining a variable indicative of a temperature of the heat transfer fluid; and   moving the frame between a focused position wherein sunlight is focused on the tube by the reflector and a defocused position wherein sunlight is less focused on the tube by the reflector than the focused position to control the temperature of the heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein moving the frame comprises moving the frame from the focused position to the defocused position to reduce the temperature of the thermal fluid in the tube. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein moving the frame comprises oscillating the frame between the focused position and the defocused position to provide a generally even heat distribution on the tube. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein moving the frame comprises oscillating the frame between a first defocused position lagging the focused position and a second defocused position leading the focused position to provide a generally even heat distribution on the tube, wherein the focused position is between the first defocused position and the second defocused position. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the variable is determined by measuring the temperature of the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the variable is determined by measuring an intensity of light focused on the tube by the reflector with an optical sensor. 
     
     
         25 . A solar reflector assembly comprising:
 at least one frame;   at least one reflector mounted on the frame;   a tube configured to have therein a heat transfer fluid being heated by the reflector focusing sunlight on the tube, the tube coupled to the frame with at least one tube support; and   a control system configured to move the frame, the control system comprising a processor and a data storage device, wherein the processor is configured to execute a code stored in the data storage device to:
 determine a variable indicative of a temperature of the heat transfer fluid; and 
 move the frame between a focused position wherein sunlight is focused on the tube by the reflector and a defocused position wherein sunlight is less focused on the tube by the reflector than the focused position to control the temperature of the heat transfer fluid. 
   
     
     
         26 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 25 , wherein to move the frame comprises to move the frame from the focused position to the defocused position to reduce the temperature of the heat transfer fluid. 
     
     
         27 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 25 , wherein to move the frame comprises to oscillate the frame between the focused position and the defocused position to provide a generally even heat distribution on the tube. 
     
     
         28 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 25 , wherein to move the frame comprises to oscillate the frame between a first defocused position lagging the focused position and a second defocused position leading the focused position to provide a generally even heat distribution on the tube, wherein the focused position is between the first defocused position and the second defocused position. 
     
     
         29 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the variable is determined by measuring the temperature of the thermal fluid in the tube. 
     
     
         30 . The solar reflector assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the variable is determined by measuring an intensity of light focused on the tube by the reflector with an optical sensor.

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