Method and arrangement for utilizing solar energy, method and system for implementing and designing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy and computer program product

Abstract

Prior art solar energy arrangements are typically structurally complex, have a limited concentration factor and temperature, and their dimensions are large. There is provided a solar energy arrangement and corresponding method for utilizing solar energy by directing sunrays or sunbeams with at least one solar concentrator towards at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, and a corresponding method, system and computer program product for implementing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An arrangement for utilizing solar energy, the arrangement comprising:
 at least one solar concentrator; and at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy,   wherein the solar concentrator is arranged to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy.   
     
     
         28 . The arrangement according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a body frame; and   a plurality of reflectors arranged in rows supported by the body frame,   wherein each reflector in a row is at a different angle towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, and   wherein the body frame and the reflectors are rotatable each on a single axis that are arranged with respect to each other perpendicularly.   
     
     
         29 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein each of the rows are rotatable to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, and wherein the application, device or equipment is fixed relative to the ground. 
     
     
         30 . The arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein each of the rows are rotatable to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, and wherein the application, device or equipment is movable for increasing the concentration factor of the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         31 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein the reflectors are curved with two dimensional, 2D, or three dimensional, 3D, curvature for directing sunrays or sunbeams to the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         32 . The arrangement according to  claim 27 , comprising a plurality of overlapping solar devices, each solar device comprising:
 a body frame; and   a plurality of reflectors arranged in rows supported by the body frame,   wherein each reflector in a row is at a different angle towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy.   
     
     
         33 . The arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the arrangement comprises at least one or more absorbers for receiving the sunrays reflected from reflectors. 
     
     
         34 . The arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the arrangement comprises an absorber for receiving the sunrays reflected from reflectors, said absorber comprising an opening for admitting light, reflective inner walls for transforming light and a back for absorbing the light. 
     
     
         35 . The arrangement according to claim  1 , wherein the arrangement comprises curved structural beams that are movable by sliding through supports on a circular track for rotating the body frame around the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         36 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein the reflectors in a row are supported by a single piece of material extending through the length of the row, or reflectors in a row are supported by a plurality of sheets of material separated by a distance such that the reflectors are supported by the sheets at specific positions on the reflectors. 
     
     
         37 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein the reflectors in a row are supported by a plurality of sheets of material separated by a distance, said sheets being interconnected with each other, and the rows of reflectors are interconnected by a connector part that is arranged to engage at least one sheet in each row at connection points on the sheets, wherein the connection points are arranged on the sheets such that the rows are at different angles relative to each other for directing sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         38 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , comprising reflectors, wherein the reflectors in a row are supported by a single piece of material extending through the length of the row, or reflectors in a row are supported by a plurality of sheets of material separated by a distance such that the reflectors are supported by the sheets at specific positions on the reflectors, wherein the reflectors are fixed on top of at least two sheets. 
     
     
         39 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , comprising reflectors, wherein the reflectors in a row are supported by a single piece of material extending through the length of the row, or reflectors in a row are supported by a plurality of sheets of material separated by a distance such that the reflectors are supported by the sheets at specific positions on the reflectors, wherein the sheets have slits and the reflectors are inserted through slits of at least two parallel sheets. 
     
     
         40 . The arrangement according to  claim 37 , wherein the connector part provides rotation of the row alone and rotation of the row together with other rows of the arrangement. 
     
     
         41 . A method for implementing or designing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy, which arrangement comprises at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy and at least one solar concentrator arranged to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, the method comprising determining at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the solar concentrator and/or at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the application, device, or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein at least part of the arrangement is manufactured on the basis of a numerical design that defines angles of reflectors that are arranged into a plurality of rows supported by a body frame, where each reflector in a row is at a different angle towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the reflectors in a row are supported by a single piece of material extending through the length of the row, or reflectors in a row are supported by a plurality of sheets of material separated by a distance such that the reflectors are supported by the sheets at specific positions on the reflectors, wherein said single piece of material is formed by 3D milling, 3D printing or Computer Numerical Controlled cutting of material, industrially fabricating numeric design or concentrator row, increasing focal point uniformity. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the numerical design is obtained by executing a method by an intelligent electronic device including a processor, said method comprising at least one of: setting reflectors by numerical method, tracking a solar device, minimizing geometric aberration, reducing obstruction or shadowing for adjacent reflectors on a row, increasing concentration factor by curving individual reflectors on solar device, simulating power output, removing inefficient reflectors, optimizing simple absorber surface area, minimizing geometric aberration by linear variation of absorber position, increasing land-use by overlapping devices, increasing land-use efficiency by placing multiple concentrator systems on single base frame, optimizing a secondary optic, optimizing row positioning, dynamically covering net-loss absorber surfaces, reducing aberration by dynamic frame rotation. 
     
     
         45 . A system for implementing or designing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy, the arrangement comprising:
 at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy;   at least one solar concentrator arranged to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy; and   means for determining at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the solar concentrator and/or at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the application, device, or equipment utilizing solar energy.   
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 45 , wherein the system comprises an intelligent electronic device including a processor and a memory, said electronic device and the memory being operatively coupled to execute a method, comprising at least one of: tracking a solar device, minimizing geometric aberration, reducing obstruction or shadowing for adjacent reflectors on a row, increasing concentration factor by curving individual reflectors on solar device, simulating power output, removing inefficient reflectors, optimizing simple absorber surface area, minimizing geometric aberration by linear variation of absorber position, increasing land-use by overlapping devices, increasing land-use efficiency by placing multiple concentrator systems on single base frame, optimizing a secondary optic, optimizing row positioning, dynamically covering net-loss absorber surfaces, reducing aberration by dynamic frame rotation. 
     
     
         47 . A computer program product comprising program code means configured to execute a method for implementing or designing an arrangement for utilizing solar energy, which arrangement comprises at least one application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy and at least one solar concentrator arranged to direct sunrays or sunbeams towards the application, device or equipment utilizing solar energy, the method comprising determining at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the solar concentrator and/or at least one parameter relating to a construction or operation of the application, device, or equipment utilizing solar energy, when said method is run on an intelligent electronic device including a processor executing the computer program and a non-transitory computer readable recording medium for recording thereon the computer program.