Solar energy collector with fixed spherical mirror - incorporates heater comprising cavity surrounding focus so that rays enter cavity and are caught by coil lining it

摘要

Solar energy collector comprises a fixed spherical mirror having a centre, a mobile heater having an axis which passes through the centre and means of causing the axis to pivot about the centre. The mobile heater consists of two separate coaxial heaters. One is a low conc. heater of elongated shape which the heat transfer fluid enters by the end situated on the mirror side. The other is a high concn. heater which has the form of a cavity of revolution about the common axis of the two heaters. The cavity surrounds the focus and has two axially opposed ends, a lower open end which is turned towards the mirror and a closed upper end. The high concn. heater includes in addn. a coil in which the heat transfer fluid circulates, which corresponds in shape to the cavity. In one form the high concn. heater comprises a hollow metallic body having an open lower end and an upper end closed by a concave cover with its apex directed upwards, the coil covering the side walls and the cover internally and externally.