Solar energy concentration systems and methods that includes a curved lower solar reflective dish, and a smaller curved solar concentrator located on a focal line above the dish. The dish reflects input light rays onto the smaller curved solar concentrator. Moveable supports adjusts the shape of the deformable solar concentrator mounted directly below the concentrator to receive concentrated light rays reflected from the concentrator. A controller for storing and executing a set of instruction controls the shape of the concentrator to focus the reflected concentrated light rays onto a focal collector. A mirror point list adjusts the shape of the concentrator based on a sun angle.

A rigid deformable reflector for heating a target, the rigid deformable reflector having a reflective surface capable of being rigidly deformed, a backing surface capable of supporting the reflective surface, and a concave shape. A method of deforming a rigid deformable reflector utilizing a deforming mechanism, wherein the rigid deformable reflector has a reflective surface and the deforming mechanism has a base and an actuator, the method having the steps of: placing a rigid deformable reflector onto the deforming mechanism, and activating the actuator thereby causing a first force to be applied to the rigid deformable reflector and deforming the shape of the rigid deformable reflector beyond its elastic limit.

A light guide apparatus that can redirect light impinging on the apparatus over a wide range of incident angles and can concentrate light without using a tracking system and methods for fabrication.

Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for creating flat laminated mirrors, e.g., for use in concentrating solar power (CSP) applications. In certain example embodiments, the first substrate is a low iron glass substrate. A reflective coating is provided between the first and second substrates. The first and second substrates are laminated together via a radiation curable laminating adhesive with the reflective coating between the substrates. In certain example embodiments the radiation curable laminating adhesive is cured via UV radiation in order to form a laminated reflective article.

A solar central receiver system employing common positioning mechanism for heliostats relates to a system of concentrating and harvesting solar energy. The heliostats of said system are positioned like facets of a Fresnel type of reflector. The heliostats are placed in arrays, wherein each array has a common positioning mechanism. The common positioning mechanism synchronously maneuvers the arrays of heliostats in altitudinal and/or azimuthal axis for tracking an apparent movement of the sun. The common positioning mechanism is employed for synchronously orienting said heliostats with respect to a stationary object and the sun such that incident solar radiation upon said heliostats is focused upon said stationary object from dawn to dusk. Subsequent to each said orientation of said heliostats, collective disposition of said heliostats always forms an arrangement that is capable of reflecting and thereby focusing incident solar radiation upon said stationary object.

The present disclosure generally relates to durable solar mirror films, methods of making durable solar mirror films, and constructions including durable solar mirror films. In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a solar mirror film comprising: a multilayer optical film layer including having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion of less than about 30 ppm per percent relative humidity; and a reflective layer having a coefficient of hygroscopic expansion.

In one embodiment a solar collector is provided. The collector has a modular heat transfer component, which includes a heat transfer core to heat up a heat transfer fluid. The collector makes use of the heat transfer fluid itself to prevent heat loss through radiation.

This invention refers to an improved solar fluid heater with respect to the one submitted in patent application MX/a/2010/005129, which main improvement consist of a protective elastic membrane in the solar collector, allowing for the heating of any kind of liquid besides water, in which the solar collector design allows for the reception of solar radiation in its surface both, vertical and horizontal, wherein the horizontal surface heat is conveyed to the fluid through a central tubular axle with ribs, in which the air in the gap between the solar collector and the transparent cover has been replaced by argon, wherein the check valves have been designed with an anti-clogging system, that the cold and hot water supply system have been optimized and wherein the overpressure system is now powered by a photovoltaic panel built-in the solar heater object this invention. The purpose of this invention is to simplify and improve the design submitted in patent application MX/a/2010/005129, allowing for its commercialization at a more affordable price to the consumer than the current solar fluid heaters.

The present invention discloses a solar panel mirror unit (1) being shaped, such as curved, and having a sandwich structure, said sandwich structure comprising an outermost front reflecting layer (2), intended as the sun reflecting layer and therefore having a reflective coating, said outermost front reflecting layer (2) consisting of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, an intermediate layer (4) having a honeycomb structure and being the core of the sandwich structure, and an innermost rear layer (5) consisting of a second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient, wherein said first and second thermal expansion coefficients are equal or substantially equal.

A curved reflective mirror includes a flat glass structure, an intermediate adhesive layer, and a flat glass mirror. The intermediate adhesive layer is positioned between the flat glass structure and the flat glass mirror. The flat glass structure, the intermediate adhesive layer, and the flat glass mirror are curved and deformed in a mechanical manner with the support of a mold. The curved and deformed flat glass structure, intermediate adhesive layer, and flat glass mirror are solidified and bonded together in a heating and/or ultraviolet (UV) light radiation and/or room temperature solidification manner to form a composite curved structure. Also provided is a method for manufacturing a curved reflective mirror. The curved reflective mirror can be widely applied in the fields of solar thermal collection and concentration and solar thermal power generation.