摘要：
A solar collector 100 comprises a conduit 110 for a working fluid, and a parabolic trough reflector 120 to focus reflected sunlight onto the conduit and pivot around the conduit. The conduit may comprise an inner absorber tube (112, Fig 1d) for carrying the working fluid, and an outer transparent insulating tube (114, Fig 1d). Counterweights 130 may be fixed to the reflector on an opposite side of the conduit to the reflector, rotatable with the reflector around the conduit. Preferably a stand(s) 150 support the conduit and is connected to the reflector by bearings 160. A cleaning means 140 may spray water onto the reflector. Preferably the reflector comprises one or more mirror assemblies (122, Fig 1b) with a parabolic-cylinder shaped reflector surface, parabolic stringers (530, Fig 5a) arranged on a convex side of the reflector surface, and a backing material (540, Fig 5a). Preferably a linear actuator (610, 612, Fig 6a) connected to the reflector of a first solar collector enables rotation the reflectors around the conduit. A solar collector in combination with a heat exchanger, storage tank and closed-loop pathway, and / or comprising piston tanks, a conduit, and method of operation and manufacture are also claimed.
权利要求：
CLAIMS
1. A solar collector comprising: a conduit for a working fluid, and a parabolic trough
reflector arranged to focus reflected sunlight onto the conduit, wherein the parabolic
trough reflector is arranged to pivot around the conduit.
2. A solar collector according to claim 1 wherein the conduit comprises an inner absorber
tube for carrying the working fluid, and an outer transparent insulating tube surrounding
the inner absorber tube, wherein the inner absorber tube and outer evacuated
transparent tube are not joined to each other.
3. A solar collector system according to claim 2, wherein the outer insulating tube
comprises an inner wall, an outer wall, and an at least partially evacuated space
between the inner and outer walls.
4. A solar collector according to any preceding claim, further comprising one or more
counterweights fixed to the parabolic trough reflector such that they are located on an
opposite side of the conduit to the parabolic trough reflector and such that they are
rotatable with the parabolic trough reflector around the conduit.
5. A solar collector according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more bearings
between the conduit and the parabolic trough reflector which allow the parabolic trough
reflector to pivot around the conduit.
6. A solar collector according to claim 5, comprising one or more stands, wherein each
stand supports the conduit and is connected to the parabolic trough reflector by at least
one of the one or more bearings.
/. A solar collector according to any preceding claim comprising a cleaning means
arranged to spray water onto the parabolic trough reflector, wherein the cleaning
means is rigidly connected to the parabolic trough reflector such that it is rotatable with
the parabolic trough reflector around the conduit.
8. A solar collector according to any preceding claim wherein the parabolic trough
reflector comprises one or more mirror assemblies that comprise a parabolic-cylinder-
shaped reflector surface, a plurality of parabolic stringers arranged on a convex side
of the reflector surface, and a backing material on the convex side of the reflector
surface between the plurality of parabolic stringers.
9. A solar collector system comprising a plurality of solar collectors according to any
preceding claim, wherein the plurality of solar collectors are arranged parallel and
laterally offset with respect to each other, and wherein the parabolic trough reflectors
of the solar collectors are interconnected by one or more rigid fixed length linkages
such that they pivot together.
10. A solar collector system according to claim 9 further comprising a linear actuator
connected to the parabolic trough reflector of a first solar collector of the plurality of
solar collectors, wherein the linear actuator is arranged to rotate the parabolic trough
reflectors around the conduit.
11. A solar collector system comprising one or more solar collectors according to any of
claims 1 to 10 and a heat exchanger and a storage tank, wherein the storage tank, the
heat exchanger and the conduits of each of the one or more solar collectors are
connected to define a closed-loop fluid pathway for a working fluid.
12. A solar collector system comprising one or more solar collectors according to any of
claims 1 to 10, a heat exchanger and one or more piston tanks, each piston tank
comprising a first portion for receiving steam from the heat exchanger, and a second
portion for containing water, wherein the first and second portions are separated by a
displaceable barrier, such that steam entering the first portion increases the hydrostatic
pressure within the second portion.
13. A solar collector system according to claim 12, wherein the first and second portions
are upper and lower portions respectively and the displaceable barrier is a floating
barrier that floats upon the water within the lower portion of the piston tank. 14. A solar collector system according to claim 12 or claim 13 comprising a water turbine
configured to be driven by water being driven out of the one or more piston tanks under
increased hydrostatic pressure.
15. A solar collector system according to any of claims 12 to 14 comprising two or more
piston tanks.
16. A solar collector system according to claim 15, further comprising a valve arrangement
configured to direct steam from the heat exchanger alternately into the first portion of
a first of the piston tanks and into the first portion of a second of the piston tanks. 17. A solar collector system according to claim 16 wherein the valve arrangement is further
configured to direct and/or spray cold water into the first portion of the second of the
piston tanks while directing steam into the first portion of the first of the piston tanks,
and to direct and/or spray cold water into the first portion of the first of the piston tanks
while directing steam into the first portion of the second of the piston tanks.
18. A conduit for a solar collector, the conduit comprising an inner absorber tube for
carrying the working fluid, and an outer transparent insulating tube surrounding the
inner absorber tube, wherein the inner absorber tube and outer transparent insulating
tube are not joined to each other.
19. A conduit according to claim 18, wherein the outer insulating tube comprises an inner
wall, an outer wall, and an at least partially evacuated space between the inner and
outer walls.
20. A conduit according to claim 19, wherein the inner and outer walls of the outer tube
have substantially the same thermal expansion rates.
21. A conduit according to any of claims 18 to 20, wherein the inner and outer walls of the
outer tube are formed of glass
22. A method of operating a solar collector with a conduit for a working fluid, and a
parabolic trough reflector arranged to focus reflected sunlight onto the conduit; the
method comprising pivoting the parabolic trough reflector around the conduit. 23. A solar collector system comprising one or more solar collectors arranged to heat a
working fluid, a heat exchanger arranged to use heat from the working fluid to generate
steam, and one or more piston tanks, each comprising a first portion for receiving
steam from the heat exchanger, and a second portion for containing water, wherein
the first and second portions are separated by a displaceable barrier, such that steam
entering the first portion increases the hydrostatic pressure within the second portion. 24. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions
that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to control an additive
manufacturing device to manufacture a solar collector, solar collector system or
conduit for a solar collector of any one of claims 1 to 21 or 23.
25. A method of manufacturing a device via additive manufacturing, the method
comprising:
obtaining an electronic file representing at least the surface configuration of
product, wherein the product is a solar collector, solar collector system or conduit for
a solar collector of any one of claims 1 to 21 or 23; and
controlling an additive manufacturing device to manufacture, over one or more
additive manufacturing steps, the product according to the surface configuration
specified in the electronic file.