ABSORBER SYSTEM

Abstract

An absorber system solves problems of known absorber systems for use in solar fields in that the absorber tube is suspended on a rail below an absorber cover. The design also makes it possible to move measuring and cleaning robots and the like along the absorber tube more and allows the absorber tube and the secondary reflector to be jointly suspended, whereby an exact mutual alignment between the two components is enabled.

Claims

1. An absorber mounting comprising a support carriage for suspended mounting of an absorber tube on a rail element; wherein the support carriage is movable along the rail element; wherein the support carriage is disposed beneath the absorber tube; wherein a clip for encompassing the absorber tube is mounted to the support carriage, with an interposition of one or more thermally insulating support elements distributed over an inside circumference of the clip; wherein each of the support elements comprises a thermally insulating material; and wherein extension arms for support on an absorber cover that is disposed over the absorber tube are mounted to the clip on both sides.

2. The absorber mounting according to claim 1, wherein the extension arms have roller elements in an end position configured to contact the absorber cover.

3. The absorber mounting according to claim 1, wherein spring elements are assigned to the extension arms, wherein a secondary reflector that overlaps the absorber tube below the absorber cover is attached on the spring elements.

4. An absorber mounting comprising a support carriage configured for suspended mounting of an absorber tube on a rail element; wherein the support carriage is movable along the rail element; wherein the support carriage is disposed beneath the absorber tube; wherein a clip configured to encompass the absorber tube, is mounted to the support carriage, wherein the clip has first and second sides and extension arms on the first and second sides and is supported on an absorber cover that is disposed in part around the absorber tube, and wherein spring elements are assigned to the extension arms, wherein a secondary reflector that is disposed above the absorber tube and below the absorber cover is attached on the spring elements.

5. The absorber mounting according to claim 4, wherein in addition to the secondary reflector, a protective hood is disposed between the secondary reflector and the absorber cover, wherein the hood is also attached to the spring elements of the extension arms, directly or indirectly.

6. The absorber mounting according to claim 5, wherein the protective hood is produced from sheet steel.

7. An absorber support apparatus having an absorber cover as well as an absorber tube mounted in suspended manner, comprising a plurality of load-bearing supports; wherein the load-bearing supports have a side facing the absorber cover; wherein the load-bearing supports keep a travel path clear for a travel carriage movable below the absorber cover, in a longitudinal expanse direction of the absorber cover, on the side facing the absorber cover, for which carriage rails are assigned to the absorber hood, on both sides, directly or indirectly; and wherein the carriage rails are guided parallel to and below the absorber tube.

8. The absorber support apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the load-bearing supports are formed in multiple Y-shaped layers spaced apart from one another, with a formation of spring elements, and wherein mobility of the layers relative to one another is implemented via a solid-body articulation.

9. An absorber system comprising an absorber support apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the absorber support apparatus carries an absorber cover, wherein an absorber mounting is suspended in the rail of the absorber cover and carries the absorber tube.

10. A method for construction of an absorber cover, comprising: setting a plurality of holding frames onto an absorber hood that is adapted to an arch shape or polygonal shape of the holding frames, wherein holding brackets disposed in an apex point of each of the holding frames project through the absorber hood through recesses; pushing one or more counter-engagement rails in at the apex point of each of the holding frames through the holding brackets, one after the other, in a longitudinal direction of the absorber hood; and connecting free ends of the holding frames with longitudinal edges of the absorber hood.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein each of the counter-engagement rails is configured to accommodate a support carriage.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein each of the counter-engagement rails is clamped in place on the absorber hood or the holding frame, using at least one clamping screw.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

[0026] In the drawings,

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an absorber cover in a perspective, exploded representation, at a slant from above,

[0028] FIG. 2 shows an absorber cover in a face-side frontal representation in the viewing direction of the longitudinal expanse of the absorber cover,

[0029] FIG. 3 shows a detail of the apex of the absorber cover according to FIG. 2, in a face-side top view,

[0030] FIG. 4 shows a detail of the free edges of the absorber cover according to FIG. 2, in a face-side top view,

[0031] FIG. 5 shows the absorber cover according to FIG. 2 in connection with a load-bearing support, in a face-side top view,

[0032] FIG. 6 shows a support carriage in a lateral top view,

[0033] FIG. 7 shows the absorber cover according to FIG. 2 with the support carriage laid in, and a clip with extension arms attached to it, in a face-side top view,

[0034] FIG. 8 shows the absorber cover according to FIG. 2 without a support carriage, only with the secondary reflector laid in, and the protective hood, in a face-side top view, as well as

[0035] FIG. 9 shows a complete absorber system, comprising an absorber cover, an absorber mounting, an absorber tube, as well as a load-bearing support and a travel carriage, in a face-side top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] FIG. 1 shows an absorber hood 2, which has been produced from sheet steel by bending, in one piece. The absorber hood 2 has a polygonal outer contour 4, as well as two recesses 3 in an apex region. In the region of its longitudinal edges, the absorber hood 2 furthermore has a bend. In the sense of an exploded representation, a holding frame 5 is shown above the absorber hood 2, which frame possesses a polygonal inner contour 7. In this regard, the polygonal inner contour 7 is shaped in such a manner that it corresponds with the polygonal outer contour 4 of the absorber hood 2. Furthermore, the holding frame 5 has a holding bracket 6 in its apex region, which bracket is open toward the bottom and encloses a recess. The polygonal outer contour 4 of the absorber hood 2 can be brought into contact with the polygonal inner contour 7 of the holding frame 5 by means of lowering the holding frame 5 in such a manner that the parts of the holding bracket 6 pass through the recesses 3. As a result, the holding bracket 6 and the shape section enclosed by it project into the absorber hood 2, so that subsequently, a counter-engagement means can be pushed through this shape section. Because of this, separation of absorber hood 2 and holding frame 5 is subsequently made impossible, so that this measure firmly connects absorber hood 2 and holding frame 5 with one another. Supplementally, the holding frame 5 has screw surfaces at its free ends, by way of which a screw connection with the absorber hood 2 can be brought about in the region of the bend of the hood along its longitudinal edges. By means of this assembly step, which, in the simplest case, merely comprises pushing in a counter-engagement means, for example a C-rail for accommodation of a support carriage, an absorber cover 1 according to the invention is produced.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows the absorber cover 1 in a face-side top view, now with further added elements. The polygonal inner contour 7 of the holding frame 5 is clearly evident; the absorber hood 2 now lies directly against it. After the absorber hood 2 is caused to make contact, a C-rail 8 is pushed into the holding bracket 6, as shown in the figure, and subsequently clamped in place with a clamping apparatus 9. A travel surface 11 was disposed at the free ends of the holding frame 5 or of the bend of the absorber hood 2, at their longitudinal edges.

[0038] FIG. 3, as a detail, shows the attachment of the C-rail 8 at the apex of the holding frame 5. In this regard, the C-rail 8 has an essentially rectangular cross-section, wherein narrowing occurs in the region of the opening of the C-rail 8. This narrowing ensures precise positioning of the C-rail 8 in the correspondingly shaped holding bracket 6, for one thing; for another, the bracket ensures centering of a support carriage 28 that is guided in the C-rail 8 and will be shown later. After the absorber hood 2 and the holding frame 5 have been joined together, the C-rail 8 can at first be easily pushed into the holding bracket 6 in the longitudinal direction of the absorber hood 2. Subsequently, a clamping apparatus 9 disposed above the C-rail 8 is clamped in place by means of screwing a clamping screw in relative to the C-rail 8. This takes place in that the fixed clamping apparatus 9 is pressed away from the C-rail 8 by means of penetration of the clamping screw 10, which leads to the result, as a reaction, that the C-rail 8 is pressed into the contour of the holding bracket 6, because of the impossibility of evasion of the clamping apparatus 9. In this way, a very simple but effective connection between absorber hood 2, holding frame 5, and C-rail 8 comes about.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows the free end of the holding frame 5, around which a bend in the region of the longitudinal edge of the absorber hood 2 is passed. An additional profile element is set onto this bend by means of screwing it on; this element implements a travel surface 11 on the inside of the absorber hood 2.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a combination of the absorber cover 1 shown in FIG. 2, which is connected with a load-bearing support 13. In this regard, a connection once again takes place by means of a screw connection 14 in the region of the respective free ends of holding frame 5 and load-bearing support 13, so that a further space is encompassed between the holding frame 5 and the load-bearing support 13. A travel path 16 for a travel carriage is kept clear in the lower region of this space; the carriage can be set onto the travel surfaces 11 and hangs through into the travel path 16. Because of the lateral delimitations of the travel surfaces 11 by the absorber hood 2 or the absorber cover 1, lateral slipping of a travel carriage 35 positioned in the travel path 16 is prevented, as will be shown later. The lateral fork struts 15 are configured as a solid-body articulation in the case of the load-bearing supports 13, in other words produced from a thin spring steel, so that they can give way in the longitudinal direction of the absorber tube.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows the support body 17 of a support carriage 28, which is supposed to be moved in the C-rail 8 of the absorber cover 1. For introduction into the C-rail 8, the support body 17 has an arrow-shaped, end-position threading aid 21 at both ends, in each instance, which aid facilitates pushing the support carriage into the C-rail 8. Rollers 18, which are disposed on both sides, at the front and at the back of the support body 17, are directly accommodated in the C-rail. These rollers are attached to a spring crosspiece 19, in each instance, which, in the example shown, is disposed centered in the support body 17. As a result, it is necessary to separate these spring crosspieces 19 from the support body 17 on both sides, using material slots 20, so that in the event of a vertically directed impact, the spring crosspieces 19, together with the rollers 18, can move into the material slots 20. As a result, it is made possible to already absorb some impact force in the spring element formed in this manner.

[0042] FIG. 7 shows the combination of a cover 1 as already described in FIG. 2 and a support carriage 28 supplemented with a clip 22. The support body 17 is threaded into the C-rail 8 with its rollers 18 and carries the clip 22, which is formed in circular shape with a clip gate 23. The clip 22 can be laid around an absorber tube 37, which will be shown later, by opening the screw connections 24, and will then contact the tube all around with support elements 25. This results in fixation of the absorber tube 37 using the support elements 25, so that an encompassing three-point suspension is created. In this regard, the support elements 25 are produced from ceramic, so that it is necessary to dispose the support elements 25 on a spring crosspiece 26, in each instance, which crosspiece in turn is spaced apart from the actual clip 22 by a material slot 27. Because of the fact that the material slot 27 is only delimited spatially, however, the spring crosspiece 26 is still connected with the clip 22. Extension arms 29 are disposed laterally on the clip 22, on both sides, which arms offer lateral support relative to the absorber hood 2, using the end-position roller elements 30. As a result, lateral back-and-forth movement of the arrangement is prevented. Furthermore, spring elements 31 are disposed on the extension arms 29; a secondary reflector 33 and a related protective hood 34 can be set onto these elements.

[0043] FIG. 8 shows these additional elements, which are not shown in FIG. 7 for the sake of clarity. The combination of secondary reflector 33 and protective hood 34 can be set onto the spring elements 31 using a spring support 32, so that simultaneous displacement or expansion of absorber tube 37 and secondary reflector 33 is made possible. This allows very precise reciprocal alignment, so that great efficiency can be achieved in passing on the energy from the secondary reflector 33 to the absorber tube 37. In the event of damage to the secondary reflector 33, the arrangement of the secondary reflector 33 around the protective hood 34, which is connected with the reflector by means of gluing, for example, protects the absorber cover 1 from damage caused by the concentrated incident sunlight.

[0044] FIG. 9 shows a complete absorber system, comprising a load-bearing support 13, onto which an absorber cover 1 is laid. The absorber cover 1 comprises an absorber hood 2, which is laid over an absorber tube 37 and protects the latter from weather influences. A support carriage 28 that holds the absorber tube 37 in position is also accommodated under the absorber hood 2. Because of this construction, a travel path for a travel carriage 35 is kept clear below the absorber tube 37, between lateral fork struts 15 of the load-bearing support 13; the carriage can be set onto a travel surface 11 in the edge region of the absorber cover 1, using roller elements 36. Such a travel carriage 35, for example with a measuring robot for measuring the radiation of the individual primary mirrors that impacts the absorber tube 37, is thereby able to carry out measurements along the entire absorber tube 37, without having to be removed in between or without being interrupted by transverse struts.

[0045] Thereby, an absorber system comprising an absorber cover, an absorber support structure, as well as an absorber mounting has been described above, wherein the mounting mounts an absorber tube in longitudinally movable manner. Because of a novel construction of the absorber cover, the latter allows weather-protected mounting of the support carriage on which the absorber tube is suspended, for one thing, in other words a simple and cost-advantageous construction. Because of its thermal and electrical insulation solution, the absorber mounting offers more efficient suspension of the absorber tube, for another thing, and reduces energy losses due to heat emission. The construction of the absorber support structure furthermore allows an intelligent arrangement of travel carriages that can be moved in the region of the absorber tube.

[0046] Although only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0047] 1 absorber cover [0048] 2 absorber hood [0049] 3 recess [0050] 4 polygonal outer contour [0051] 5 holding frame [0052] 6 holding bracket [0053] 7 polygonal inner contour [0054] 8 C-rail [0055] 9 clamping apparatus [0056] 10 clamping screw [0057] 11 travel surface [0058] 12 screw connection [0059] 13 load-bearing support [0060] 14 screw connection [0061] 15 forked strut [0062] 16 travel path [0063] 17 support body [0064] 18 roller [0065] 19 spring crosspiece [0066] 20 material slot [0067] 21 threading aid [0068] 22 clip [0069] 23 clip gate [0070] 24 screw connection [0071] 25 toothed element [0072] 26 spring crosspiece [0073] 27 material slot [0074] 28 support carriage [0075] 29 extension arm [0076] 30 roller element [0077] 31 spring element [0078] 32 spring support [0079] 33 secondary reflector [0080] 34 protective hood [0081] 35 travel carriage [0082] 36 roller element [0083] 37 absorber tube