Light weight reflector facet

• Main Authors: STONE; KENNETH W, BLACKMON; JAMES B, KUSEK; STEPHEN M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.09.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BLASTING; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; RANGES; SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS; VENTILATING; WEAPONS

A light weight arcuate reflector facet, for a solar concentrator is disclosed, which comprises a thin mirrored glass sheet such as a microsheet, and a backing sheet or substrate, the glass sheet being bonded to the backing sheet, with the backing sheet providing a smooth surface to the glass sheet. A support member or support structure is attached to the backing sheet and maintains the mirrored glass sheet at a desired radius of curvature. The backing sheet is preferably a composite, and according to one embodiment of a fixed focal length light weight reflector facet, the support member is a resin-impregnated fiberglass sheet having a rib structure. In another embodiment of a variable focal length light weight reflector facet, the support member is a mechanical structure comprising a circular support structure having intersecting center support beams positioned diagonally across the circular support structure. An actuator rod is mounted at the center of the support beams and attached to the backing sheet, and is effective when actuated, to deflect the mirrored glass sheet to a desired curvature, and including corner supports for the circular support structure.