| WO/2002/084182 | SOLAR COLLECTOR |
| WO/2009/137864 | CONCENTRATOR FOR SOLAR RADIATION |
| JP07027425 | SOLAR CONCENTRATOR AND THERMAL STORAGE APPARATUS |
KLAPWALD, Shmulik (6 Hama'ayan Street, Jerusalem, 95903, IL)
SHARON, Yigal (3 Hakarkom, Mevaseret Zion, 90805, IL)
SIEMENS CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER LTD. (3 Ha-Hac'shara, Beit Shemesh, 99107, IL)
GIL, Ori (33 Katz Street, Petach Tikva, 49374, IL)
KLAPWALD, Shmulik (6 Hama'ayan Street, Jerusalem, 95903, IL)
SHARON, Yigal (3 Hakarkom, Mevaseret Zion, 90805, IL)
| Patent claims 1. Solar collector assembly (1) with - at least one arrangement (10) of at least one parabolic re- flector (11) and at least one reflector holder (12) for hold¬ ing the parabolic reflector (11) and with - at least one support structure (20) for supporting the ar¬ rangement (10) and for driving the solar collector assembly (1), wherein the parabolic reflector (11) and the reflector holder (12), building blocks (21) of the support structure (20) among themselves and/or the support structure (20) and the arrangement (10) are linked together by at least one clinching connection (30). 2. Solar collector assembly (1) according to claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a torque triangle truss (20) . 3. Method for manufacturing the solar collector assembly (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2 with following steps: a) Providing the support structure (20) and the arrangement (10) of at least one parabolic reflector (11) and of at least one reflector holder (12) and/or providing building blocks (21) of the support structure and/or providing the support structure and the arrangement and b) Linking the parabolic reflector (11) and the reflector holder (12) and/or linking the building blocks (21) of the support structure (20) and/or linking the support structure (20) and the arrangement (10) together, wherein at least one of the linking comprises a clinching mechanism. 4. Use of the solar collector assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2 in a power plant for converting solar energy into electrical energy. |
SOLAR COLLECTOR ASSEMBLY WITH AT LEAST ONE CLINCHING CONNECTION, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SOLAR COLLECTOR ASSEMBLY BY A CLINCHING MECHANISM AND USE OF THE SOLAR COLLECTOR ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solar collector assembly, a method for manufacturing the solar collector assembly and a use of the solar collector assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solar field is a modular distributed system of solar col ¬ lector assemblies (SCA) connected to each other via a system of pipes.
Each SCA is an independent unit for collection and for trans ¬ fer of energy, with its own power to rotate and to communicate within an electronic network. The SCA is a linear parabolic focusing collector with one dimensional (usually East-West) tracking system. Solar radia ¬ tion is focused onto a heat collection element consisting of a hollow tube through which a heat transfer fluid is circulated .
The solar field comprises loops, which are for instance as ¬ sembled from two SCAs . Each SCA comprises for instance 8 pa ¬ rabola segments. For each of the parabola segments a truss is used. The truss has two main functions: It supports parabolic reflectors of the SCA and it provides an interface to a drive system of the collector . SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a solar collector assembly with reliable connections between elements of the solar collector assembly. The connections should lead to a high optical accuracy over a long term of operation. Additionally the manufacturing should be easy. Further objects of the invention are a method for manufacturing the solar collector assembly and a use of the solar col ¬ lector assembly.
These objects are achieved by the invention specified in the claims.
A solar collector assembly with at least one arrangement of at least one parabolic reflector and at least one reflector holder for holding the parabolic reflector and with at least one support structure for supporting the arrangement and for driving the solar collector assembly is provided. Thereby the parabolic reflector and the reflector holder, building blocks of the support structure among themselves and/or the support structure and the arrangement are linked together by at least one clinching connection.
Additionally a method for manufacturing the solar collector assembly with following steps is provided: a) Providing the support structure and the arrangement of at least one para- bolic reflector and of at least one reflector holder and/or providing building blocks of the support structure and/or providing the support structure and the arrangement and b) linking the parabolic reflector and the reflector holder and/or linking the building blocks of the support structure and/or linking the support structure and the arrangement to ¬ gether, wherein at least one of the linking comprises a clinching mechanism. Parts of the solar collector assembly are connected by a clinching mechanism. Finally a use of the solar collector assembly in a power plant for converting solar energy into electrical energy is provided .
In one embodiment the support structure comprises a torque triangle truss.
Building blocks of the support stricture and triangle truss respectively are e.g. pipes, which are produced with loosened tolerances and are highly stackable during shipment, and junctions/intersections which are used to connect the pipes and the intersections. The triangle truss is built of unique diagonals pipes connected in every intersection. These diago- nals pipes enable high torque stiffness of the torque trian ¬ gle truss.
The reflector holder can be fixed at the centre of the para ¬ bolic reflector (averted to a reflecting surface of the re- flector) . But it is advantageous to fix the reflector holder at an edge of the reflector. Therefore in a further embodi ¬ ment the reflector holder is fixed to at least one edge of the parabolic reflector. In a further embodiment the reflector holder is fixed to at least one further edge of at least one further parabolic re ¬ flector and the parabolic reflector and the further para ¬ bolic reflector are arranged side by side such, that a re ¬ flecting surface of the parabolic reflector and a further re- fleeting surface of the further parabolic reflector form an entire reflecting surface and a focal line of the reflecting surface and a further focal line of the further reflecting surface form a contiguous (and straight) entire focal line of the entire reflecting surface. In contrast to the state of the art each reflector holder holds two adjacent reflectors. By this measure for instance a reflector is fixed on both sides of the reflector (with exception of outer reflectors of a solar collector assembly) . As a result a number of reflec ¬ tor holders can be reduced.
For the linking of different elements (parts) of the solar collector assembly a clinching mechanism is used. As a result the parabolic reflector and the reflector holder, building blocks of the support structure among themselves and/or the support structure and the arrangement are linked together by at least one clinching connection. For instance a torque tri- angle truss (support structure) and the arrangement of para ¬ bolic reflector and reflector holder are linked together by a clinching connection. For the manufacturing a clinching mechanism is used. By using the clinching it is not necessary, that each of the building blocks (reflector, reflector holder, support structure, etc) of the support structure and/or the complete solar collector assembly is accurately manufactured. There is an acceptable tolerance (deviation) , which is compensated by the clinching. As a result the manufacturing is simplified. Addi ¬ tionally a high optical accuracy during a long operating phase of years is reached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHEMATIC DRAWINGS
Figure 1 shows an engineering drawing of the solar collector assembly with a drive pylon.
Figure 2 and figure 3 show perspective views of the solar collector assembly.
Figure 4 shows a side view of the solar collector assembly.
Figure 5 and figure 6 show perspective views of the torque triangle truss of the solar collector assembly.
Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a reflector arrangement of reflector and reflector holder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The solar collector assembly 1 comprises at least one ar- rangement 10 of at least one parabolic reflector 11 and at least one reflector holder 12 for holding the parabolic reflector 11.
The solar collector assembly 1 comprises additionally at least one torque triangle truss 20 for supporting the ar ¬ rangement 10 and for driving the solar collector assembly 1.
The reflector holder 12 is fixed to at least one edge 111 of the parabolic reflector 11.
Additionally the reflector holder 12 is fixed to at least one further edge 131 of at least one further parabolic reflector 13. The parabolic reflector 11 and the further parabolic re ¬ flector 13 are arranged side by side such, that a reflecting surface 112 of the parabolic reflector (11) and a further re ¬ flecting surface 132 of the further parabolic reflector 13 form an entire reflecting surface 142 and a focal line 113 of the reflecting surface 112 and a further focal line 133 of the further reflecting surface 132 form a contiguous straight entire focal line 143 of the entire reflecting surface 142.
The torque triangle truss 20 and the arrangement 10 with the parabolic reflector 11 and the reflector holder 12 are linked together by a clinching connection 30 (figure 4) .
Single building blocks 21 of the torque triangle truss 20, e.g. diagonal pipes, are connected together by a clinching connection, too. Within the focal lines 113, 133 and 143 of the reflecting surface 112, the further reflecting surface 132 and the entire reflecting surface 142, respectively heat receiver tubes 16 are located. Within these heat receiver tubes 16 a heat transfer fluid is circulating. By the heat receiver tubes solar energy is absorbed and transferred to the heat transfer fluid. By this the solar collector assembly can be used in a power plant for converting solar energy into electrical en- ergy. The collected solar energy is used to generate steam. The steam drives a turbine which is connected to a generator for generating electricity.
The solar collector assembly 1 is connected to a drive pylon 15. The complete solar collector assembly comprises a number of parabola segments 16. For each parabola segment a torque triangle truss 20 is used.
Summarizing the solar collector assembly 1 (and the reflec- tors 11 and 13 respectively) has following features:
Aperture 114: 8728 mm
Rim angle: 89.5°
Focal length (115) : 2200 mm
SCA length: 192 m
Segment Length 161 of the segments 16: 24 m
Segments quantity: 8
Deflections :
Self weight: 30 mm
Torsion (at the end under 170 kg-m/m) : 23 Mrad Length of the torque triangle truss 20: 24 m
Weight of the torque triangle truss 20: 2500 kg (12 kg/m 2 ) Length of the reflector holder 12: 24 m Weight the reflector holder 12: 1000 kg (4.8 kg/m 2 ) Entire length of the reflectors 11, 13: 24 m Entire weight of the reflectors 11, 13: 2310 kg (11 kg/m)
Total weight of the complete solar collector assembly 1: 28.5 kg/m 2
Height 151 of the drive pylon 15: 5,2 m
Width 152 of the drive pylon 15: 1,4 m Complete height 200 of the solar collector assembly 1 and the drive pylon 15: 7,5 m