US 20080223443 A1
In one embodiment of a solar concentrator, a tailored aspheric lens augments the solar-concentrator performance of a concave mirror, widening its acceptance angle for easier solar tracking, making it
US 20080223443 A1
In one embodiment of a solar concentrator, a tailored aspheric lens augments the solar-concentrator performance of a concave mirror, widening its acceptance angle for easier solar tracking, making it more cost-competitive for ultra-large arrays. The molded-glass secondary lens also includes a short rod for reducing the peak concentration on a photovoltaic cell that is optically bonded to the end of the rod. The Simultaneous Multiple Surface method produces lens shapes suitable for a variety of medium and high concentrations by mirrored dishes. Besides the rotationally symmetric parabolic mirror itself, other aspheric deviations therefrom are described, including a free-form rectangular mirror that has its focal region at its edge.
1. An optical concentrator comprising:
a concave primary mirror arranged to reflect collimated incident light to a primary focal region;
a secondary refracting lens disposed at the primary focal region of said primary mirror, said secondary lens comprising a rear surface having a light-conducting rod protruding from said rear surface and a front surface to receive said re