A heliostat field layout for a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant includes a plurality of heliostats arranged adjacent each other (e.g., side-by-side) in a first arc spaced from a tower comprising a solar receiver. A second plurality of heliostats are arranged adjacent each other (e.g., side-by-side) in one or more additional arcs spaced from each other and spaced from the first arc, each additional arc spaced from a previous of the additional arcs by a radial distance that defines an aisle, the radial distance between a pair of adj acent arcs being equal to or greater than the radial distance between a previous pair of adjacent arcs in a direction away from the tower. The heliostats are arranged in the arcs in a non-staggered manner.

A heliostat field layout for a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant includes a plurality of heliostats arranged adjacent each other (e.g., side-by-side) in a first arc spaced from a tower comprising a solar receiver. A second plurality of heliostats are arranged adjacent each other (e.g., side-by-side) in one or more additional arcs spaced from each other and spaced from the first arc, each additional arc spaced from a previous of the additional arcs by a radial distance that defines an aisle, the radial distance between a pair of adj acent arcs being equal to or greater than the radial distance between a previous pair of adjacent arcs in a direction away from the tower. The heliostats are arranged in the arcs in a non-staggered manner.

An aerospace mirror having a reaction bonded (RB) silicon carbide (SiC) mirror substrate, and a SiC cladding on the RB SiC mirror substrate forming an optical surface on a front side of the aerospace mirror. A method for manufacturing an aerospace mirror comprising obtaining a green mirror preform comprising porous carbon, silicon carbide (SiC), or both, the green mirror preform defining a front side of the aerospace mirror and a back side of the aerospace mirror opposite the front side; removing material from the green mirror preform to form support ribs on the back side; infiltrating the green mirror preform with silicon to create a reaction bonded (RB) SiC mirror substrate from the green mirror preform; forming a mounting interface surface on the back side of the aerospace mirror from the RB SiC mirror substrate, and forming a reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate on the front side of the aerospace mirror. Additionally, the method can comprise cladding the reflector surface of the RB SiC mirror substrate with SiC to form an optical surface of the aerospace mirror.

A heliostat frame includes a primary beam and several secondary beams arranged on the primary beam at intervals. The secondary beams are fixed on the primary beam along an extending direction of a center axis of the primary beam, and the secondary beam is provided with several supporting block assemblies. The supporting block assembly includes supporting blocks and adhesive sheets. The supporting blocks are connected with a reflective surface of the heliostat through the adhesive sheets. A height of each of the supporting blocks is configured according to its position on the secondary beam, so that a line connected by centers of top surfaces of all of the supporting blocks on the secondary beam is arc-shaped. The heliostat frame reduces the requirements for the manufacturing accuracy of the secondary beam while guaranteeing surface accuracy of the heliostat, thereby effectively reducing the production costs and improving the manufacturing efficiency.

A heliostat frame includes a primary beam and several secondary beams arranged on the primary beam at intervals. The secondary beams are fixed on the primary beam along an extending direction of a center axis of the primary beam, and the secondary beam is provided with several supporting block assemblies. The supporting block assembly includes supporting blocks and adhesive sheets. The supporting blocks are connected with a reflective surface of the heliostat through the adhesive sheets. A height of each of the supporting blocks is configured according to its position on the secondary beam, so that a line connected by centers of top surfaces of all of the supporting blocks on the secondary beam is arc-shaped. The heliostat frame reduces the requirements for the manufacturing accuracy of the secondary beam while guaranteeing surface accuracy of the heliostat, thereby effectively reducing the production costs and improving the manufacturing efficiency.

Exemplary embodiments provided herein include an attachment and deployment system and method. Exemplary embodiments may use features together or separately as desired. The attachment feature may be used to periodically couple a solar sail.

The conical ball cone bearing is a high load and reduced pressure kinematic or fixed thrust bearing that allows for a greater load carrying capacity with a reduced contact pressure to be obtained in a smaller package. This bearing maximizes the contact radius over the needed angular translation to reduce the contact pressure. This has two advantages in a kinematic system. First, the reduced contact pressure increases the maximum load the bearing can hold prior to surface failure. Second, the reduced contact pressure reduces the friction on the kinematic contacts, allowing the kinematic system to move more freely and operate with a smoother movement and improved stability.

A heliostat includes a reflecting surface; an elastically deformable frame on which the reflecting surface is mounted; a truss structure behind the elastically deformable frame that includes at least four bracing struts with first ends attached to the elastically deformable frame and second ends attached to at least one node located centrally behind the frame; at least one actuator connected to at least one of the at least four struts at the at least one node; an electronic control system configured to communicate with the least one actuator; and a dual-axis mount to support and orient the above assembly. The actuation of the at least one actuator in response to the electronic control system causes compression or tension of at least one of the at least four bracing struts to thereby control a shape of the reflecting surface and the elastically deformable frame in at least low order bending modes.

A heliostat includes a reflecting surface; an elastically deformable frame on which the reflecting surface is mounted; a truss structure behind the elastically deformable frame that includes at least four bracing struts with first ends attached to the elastically deformable frame and second ends attached to at least one node located centrally behind the frame; at least one actuator connected to at least one of the at least four struts at the at least one node; an electronic control system configured to communicate with the least one actuator; and a dual-axis mount to support and orient the above assembly. The actuation of the at least one actuator in response to the electronic control system causes compression or tension of at least one of the at least four bracing struts to thereby control a shape of the reflecting surface and the elastically deformable frame in at least low order bending modes.

A reflector array includes a support structure, a motor, a shaft operatively coupled to the motor, a free plate, and a drive plate. The free plate includes a free plate first side and a free plate second side axially opposed to the free plate first side. The free plate further may include a latching mechanism disposed on the free plate second side and a drive plate. The drive plate is rotatably coupled to the shaft. The drive plate includes a drive plate first side and a drive plate second side axially opposed to the drive plate first side. The drive plate further includes a drive plate finger coupled to the drive plate second side. The drive plate finger is configured to contact the latching mechanism in response to rotation of the driver plate. The drive plate finger is further configured to couple the drive plate to the free plate.