Support system and method for trough-shaped solar energy concentrations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9249993-B2
Application number	US-201113883327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2011
Priority date	Nov 4, 2010
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

A support system for a trough-shaped solar collector assembly includes a support arm comprising first and second curved rails and an interconnecting web structure. The web structure is secured along first and second opposite edges thereof to first and second web engaging structures, which are provided along facing surfaces of the first and second rails, respectively. Prior to fixedly securing the web structure to the web engaging structure of the first and second curved rails, the location and/or the orientation of the web structure are adjustable for supporting interconnection of the first and second curved rails with different rates of convergence between the first and second curved rails. The support arm further includes a plurality of mirror-attachment brackets coupled to the first rail for attaching the trough-shaped solar collector assembly to the support arm and structure attachment brackets for mounting the support arm to a structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A support arm for a trough-shaped solar collector assembly, comprising:
a first rail having a length that extends between first and second opposite ends thereof and having a curvature extending along the length and defining a convex side of the first rail, the convex side forming a first open channel-structure that extends between the first end and the second end of the first rail;
a second rail having a length that extends between first and second opposite ends thereof and having a curvature extending along the length and defining a concave side of the second rail, the concave side forming a second open channel-structure that extends between the first end and the second end of the second rail; and,
a plurality of web structures interconnecting the first rail and the second rail, the plurality of web structures including a first web structure having a size that is defined along a spacing direction between opposite edges thereof and that is larger than a size that is defined along the spacing direction between opposite edges of a second web structure of the plurality of web structures,
wherein one of the opposite edges of the first web structure and one of the opposite edges of the second web structure is received within the first open channel-structure of the first rail, and the other of the opposite edges of the first web structure and the other of the opposite edges of the second web structure is received within the second open channel-structure of the second rail, the first web structure disposed proximate the first ends of the first and second rails and the second web structure disposed proximate the second ends of the first and second rails, such that the second ends of the first and second rails are spaced more closely together than the first end of the first and second rails when the support arm is in an assembled condition, and
wherein at least one of the first and second web structures is formed of one integral piece and is coupled to the first and second rails via at least three points of attachment including at least one point of attachment to one of the first and second rails and at least one point of attachment to the other one of the first and second rails.

2. A support arm according to claim 1 , comprising first and second substantially parallel flanges protruding from the convex side of the first rail, and comprising third and fourth substantially parallel flanges protruding from the concave side of the second rail, the first and second flanges cooperatively defining the first open-channel structure and the third and fourth flanges cooperatively defining the second open-channel structure.

3. A support arm according to claim 2 , wherein the one of the opposite edges of the first and second web structures are coupled to the first rail via at least a surface of the first and second flanges, and the other of the opposite edges of the first and second web structures are coupled to the second rail via at least a surface the third and fourth flanges.

4. A support arm according to claim 1 , wherein each one of the first and second web structures is coupled to the first and second rails via at least three points of attachment including at least one point of attachment to one of the first and second rails and at least one point of attachment to the other one of the first and second rails.

5. A support arm according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second web structures are fixedly secured to the first and second rails by at least one of welding, riveting and toggle-locking.

6. A support arm according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second rails are fabricated from a first material and the plurality of web structures is fabricated from a second material.

7. A support arm according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second rails are fabricated from steel and the plurality of web structures is fabricated from aluminum or an alloy thereof.

8. A support arm according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second rails are fabricated from steel and the plurality of web structures is fabricated from a composite material.

9. A support arm according to claim 1 , comprising a structure-mounting bracket coupled to the first end of each one of the first and second rails for attaching the support arm to a structural support member.

10. A support arm according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of collector-mounting brackets coupled to the first rail for attaching the trough-shaped solar collector assembly to the support arm.

11. A support arm for a trough-shaped solar collector assembly, comprising:
a first rail that is curved in a direction along a length thereof and having a concave side for supporting a solar collector element and having a convex side that is opposite the concave side, a first flange protruding from the convex side of the first rail and extending along the length thereof;
a second rail that is curved in a direction along a length thereof and having a concave side, a second flange protruding from the concave side of the second rail and extending along the length thereof, the second rail disposed in a spaced-apart relationship with the first rail such that the first and second flanges are approximately aligned one with the other and extend one toward the other; and,
a plurality of web structures interconnecting the first rail and the second rail, the plurality of web structures including a first web structure having a size that is defined along a spacing direction between opposite edges thereof and that is larger than a size that is defined along the spacing direction between opposite edges of the second web structure of the plurality of web structures,
wherein one of the opposite edges of the first web structure and one of the opposite edges of the second web structure is fixedly secured to the first flange of the first rail, and the other of the opposite edges of the first web structure and the other of the opposite edges of the second web structure is fixedly secured to the second flange of the second rail, the first web structure disposed proximate the first ends of the first and second rails and the second web structure disposed proximate the second ends of the first and second rails, such that the second ends of the first and second rails are spaced more closely together than the first ends of the first and second rails when the support arm is in an assembled condition, and
wherein at least one of the plurality of web structures is formed of one integral piece and is coupled to the first and the first and second rails via at least three points of attachment including at least one point of attachment to one of the first and second rails and at least one point of attachment to the other one of the first and second rails.

12. A support arm according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second web structures are fixedly secured to the first and second flanges by at least one of welding, riveting and toggle-locking.

13. A support arm according to claim 11 , wherein the first flange is integrally formed with the first rail and the second flange is integrally formed with the second rail.

14. A support arm according to claim 11 , wherein the first flange is fixedly secured along the length of the convex side of the first rail and the second flange is fixedly secured along the length of the concave side of the second rail.

15. A support are according to claim 14 , wherein the first flange is welded to the convex side of the first rail and the second flange is welded to the concave side of the second rail.

16. A method for supporting a trough-shaped solar collector assembly,

Assignees

• Kotagiri Vikas
• Werner Mark F
• Devor Michael J
• Langworthy Kevin R
• Gabbianelli Gianfranco
• Magna Int Inc

Inventors

• Kotagiri Vikas
• Werner Mark F
• Devor Michael J
• Langworthy Kevin R
• Gabbianelli Gianfranco

Classifications

• F24S25/30 Primary

  using elongate rigid mounting elements extending substantially along the supporting surface, e.g. for covering buildings with solar heat collectors (extending in directions away from the supporting surface F24S25/10; peripheral frames for modules F24S25/20) · CPC title

• F24S23/74 Primary

  with trough-shaped or cylindro-parabolic reflective surfaces · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G02B7/183

  specially adapted for very large mirrors, e.g. for astronomy, {or solar concentrators} · CPC title

• Y02E10/47

  Mountings or tracking · CPC title