Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Photocell controls its own optical systems
Patent
1978-11-01
1980-07-08
Nelms, David C.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Photocell controls its own optical systems
126425, 356152, G01J 120
Patent
active
042119227
ABSTRACT:
Apparatus for positioning a mirror to reflect solar radiation from the sun onto a remote receiver. Two wide angle, preferably cylindrical lenses are positioned through the mirror, parallel to the reflective face of the mirror, with their optical axes at ninety degrees respectively corresponding to elevation and azimuth. Multi-element photosensors are rigidly affixed behind the mirror so that images of the sun and the receiver can be focused on the sensors. The sensors extend a length equivalent to the field of view through the respective lens encompassing the sun and receiver during the daily and seasonal apparent path of the sun. A selected element of each photosensor is positioned along a line representing the normal to the mirror surface through its corresponding lens. Electrical circuitry and drive apparatus utilize the signals from the photosensors representative of the images of the sun and receiver, and the distance of each image from the selected element, to position the mirror to reflect solar radiation onto the receiver. The mirror is properly oriented where the images are equidistant from the selected element representing the normal. The image of the receiver can be formed by radiation reflected from the receiver back toward the mirror or by additional apparatus such as a steady or pulsed light source.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2712772 (1955-07-01), Trombe
patent: 3986021 (1976-10-01), Hitchcock
patent: 4013885 (1977-03-01), Blitz
patent: 4041307 (1977-08-01), Napoli et al.
patent: 4063543 (1977-12-01), Hedger
patent: 4146784 (1979-03-01), Yekutieli
"Developed with Private Funds Sun Trac's Patented 2-Axis Tracker now in Limited Production", Electronic Journal, Sep.-Oct. 1977, p. 12 Author unknown.
Anderson Arthur E.
Miller Robert C.
Vaerewyck Eugene G.
Levine Edward L.
Nelms David C.
Westin Edward P.
Westinghouse Electric Corp.
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