WO2000007055A1

WO2000007055A1 - Solar energy systems and related hardware

Info

Publication number: WO2000007055A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/015385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Matthew Cherney
Original assignee: Matthew Cherney
Priority date: 1998-07-27
Filing date: 1998-07-27
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: AU8587398A

Abstract

Wide angle of acceptance solar concentrators are presented which have numerous advantages over the current state of the art. Reduced sensitivity to angle of incidence allows light from cheap reflectors to be harnessed while the need to accurately track is eliminated. Practical manufacturing methods are suggested which should result in logarithmic reductions in the cost of solar electricity. Applications for passive lighting and water heating are demonstrated as are efficient hybrid receptors and end loads.

Description

TITLE: SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS AND RELATED HARDWARE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION: THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO SOLAR CONCENTRATORS, MORE PARTICULARLY TO CONCENTRATORS CAPABLE OF HARNESSING LIGHT WITHOUT ACCURATE TRACKING DUE TO THE USE OF TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION (FIBER OPTIC PRINCIPLES).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION(S):

SOLAR CONCENTRATORS HAVE HISTORICALLY RELIED ON FRESNEL LENSES AND CURVED REFLECTORS WHICH ARE NOTORIOUSLY SENSITIVE TO THE ANGLE OF INCIDENCE OF THE SUN (OFTEN WITHIN 1 DEGREE). SYSTEMS USING THESE REQUIRE ACCURATE AND EXPENSIVE TRACKING DEVICES. THEY ARE ALSO UNABLE TO USE DIFFUSE LIGHT, HARNESS LIGHT FROM CHEAP REFLECTORS OR ACHIEVE THE CONCENTRATION RATIOS NECESSARY TO COMPETE WITH CONVENTIONAL UTILITIES. (AS CONCENTRATION RATIOS GO UP, COSTS GENERALLY GO DOWN).

THUS THE CHIEF DRAWBACK OF THE PRIOR ART CAN BE SUMMED UP AS FOLLOWS: A SYSTEM WHICH COLLECTS, COLLIMATES AND FOCUSES SUNLIGHT, WITH WIDE ANGLE OF ACCEPTANCE AND LOW LOSS, HAS YET TO BE REDUCED TO PRACTICE. COST-EFFECTIVENESS COMPARED TO STATE OF THE ART CONVENTIONAL UTILITIES

HAS ALSO NOT BEEN DEMONSTRATED.

SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION:

STATIONARY REFLECTORS FEED SUNLIGHT TO ARCHED CLEAR REFRACTIVE INTERFACES. THESE REFRACTIVE INTERFACES, UTILIZING T.I.R. (FIBER OPTIC PRINCIPLES) FOCUS THE LIGHT ONTO SEMICONDUCTORS, BLACK PIPES FOR WATER HEATING OR OTHER APPLIANCES. THE GROSS AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIOUS REFRACTIVE AND REFLECTIVE INTERFACES ARE VARIABLE - - DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC DESIGN OBJECTIVES, THE LOCATION (ANGLES OF INCIDENCE OF THE SUNLIGHT), ETC. ETC. ETC.

A "PHOTON FLOW CHART"

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION:

IT IS THUS THE OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION(S) TO DESCRIBE

SYSTEM INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE COLLECTING, COLLIMATING,

FOCUSING AND RECEPTOR MECHANISMS. THE COMPONENTS MUST BE CHEAP

AND EASY TO MANUFACTURE, WITH THE CONCENTRATORS SUITABLE FOR RAPID

MOUNTING ON A COMMERCIAL ROOFTOP USING CONVENTIONAL METHODS.

WITH THE MATERIALS AND METHODS DESCRIBED, SOLAR ELECTRICITY WILL

BECOME CHEAPER THAN CONVENTIONAL UTILITIES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY.

SYSTEM INTERACTIONS WITH ALTERNATIVE RECEPTORS, SUCH AS LIGHT PIPES AND

WATER HEATERS, WILL ALSO BE DESCRIBED. MATHEMATICAL GENERALIZATIONS

FOR SOLVING SPECIFIC DESIGN PROBLEMS AS WELL AS MORE ADVANCED

VERSIONS OF OUR MARKET ENTRY PRODUCTS (LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT PLANS)

ARE LIKEWISE INCLUDED. THESE LONG-TERM PLANS MIGHT INCLUDE REDUCTION

IN THE NUMBER OF LAYERS/PROCESSES OR TRANSITION INTO THREE DIMENSIONAL

MODELS FROM TWO DIMENSIONAL BLUE PRINTS.

ONE KEY OBJECT OF THE INVENTION(S) IS TO FULLY DEVELOP THE PRINCIPLE OF

"OPTICAL SYNERGY." I.E. THE INTERACTION OF CHEAP REFLECTIVE COMPONENTS

WITH WIDE ANGLE OF ACCEPTANCE REFRACTIVE INTERFACES. ANOTHER KEY

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION(S) IS TO PROVIDE THE MOST EFFICIENT HYBRID

RECEPTOR SYSTEMS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FOR BIG POWER PLANT MODELS. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION(S):

RESULTS FROM EXPERIMENTS I CONDUCTED CIRCA 1992 SHOWED THAT

LIGHT ENTERING A CLEAR WEDGE OR CONICAL ROD (OF HIGH REFRACTIVE

INDEX) TENDED TO REMAIN IN T.I.R. UNTIL SOME CRITICAL ANGLE WAS REACHED,

AT WHICH POINT AN "EXIT CONE" OF LIGHT FORMED - - GENERALLY POINTING

IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FOCUS AND HAVING A "SPREAD" DETERMINED BY THE

INDEX OF REFRACTION OF THE MATERIAL ITSELF. I.E. HIGHER INDECIES OF

REFRACTION YIELDED NARROWER "SPREADS" ACCORDING TO SNELL'S LAW.

IN THEORY, A MATERIAL OF INDEX 1.7 WOULD HAVE A CRITICAL ANGLE OF ABOUT

36 DEGREES AND AN EXIT ANGLE OF ABOUT 88 DEGREES, POINTING THE EXITING

RAYS ALMOST EXACTLY TOWARD THE FOCUS. (SAID LIGHT HAVING BEEN

ACCEPTED FROM VERY WIDE ANGLES). IN PRACTICE, A "SPREAD" IS OBSERVED.

WE REFER TO A NARROW EXIT SPREAD AS "ROUGH COLLIMATION." A GIVEN

CONDITION IS THAT "ROUGHLY COLLIMATED" LIGHT CAN BE FOCUSED BY

VARIOUS MECHANISMS. SUCH AS BY ARCHING THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFRACE

OR USING SECONDARY LENSES/REFLECTORS. THUS A MAIN REFRACTIVE

INTERFACE USING T.I.R. AND "ROUGHLY COLLIMATING" THE LIGHT, CAN ACCEPT

AND CONCENTRATE AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY (OR YEAR) WITHOUT

TRACKING. IT CAN ALSO ACCEPT LIGHT FROM CHEAP REFLECTORS AND EVEN USE

DIFFUSE LIGHT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL PAGES DESCRIBE THE MATHEMATICAL METHODS USED TO DESIGN THE FACETS FOR THE REFRACTIVE COLLIMATING SURFACES.

FOUR BASIC FUNCTIONS ARE GIVEN PRIORITY:

1 ) RAYS ALREADY HEADING TOWARD THE FOCUS SHOULD PASS UNDEVIATED.

2) SOME PORTION OF THE COLLECTABLE RAYS ARE REFRACTED

(I.E. THEY EXIT THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE ON THEIR FIRST "BOUNCE.")

3) THOSE RAYS ENTERING T.I.R. WILL REFLECT A MINIMUM NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE EXITING THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.

4) THOSE RAYS EXITING THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE BUT NOT HEADING TOWARD THE FOCUS WILL BE REDIRECTED WITH REFLECTORS.

THE 3D REPRESENTATIONS BELOW ARE USED FOR NOMENCLATURE.

solar south

n2 METHOD FOR DESIGNING FACETED REFRACTIVE COLLIMATORS

Standard vector algebra was invoked to derive the mathematical formulation of this method The results are an application of Fer at's principle, the foundation of all geometrical optics

The formulae of this section are intended for computer software applications, whereby large numbers of ray-paths and contours may be evaluated quickly The result of this analysis is a numerical file of contour specifications for a mold This file may be, for example, accepted and executed by a computer-controlled machining facility

The computations must be performed in the context of a 3D coordinate system, such as the one depicted in Figure 4 A system of vectors is used in all design possibilities for directional control of the collected solar beam s unit vector for describing solar angular position n unit vector perpendicular (normal) to a patch of optical material, this vector determines the orientation of the interface in the coordinate system t unit vector indicating direction of refraction of solar beam r unit vector in the direction of specular reflection of s from n

In the figure, spherical position angles for s are shown as θ_s, solar zenith and φ_s, solar azimuth respectively

The direction of a unit vector can be specified by direction cosine values within the coordinate system shown in Figure 4 For the unit vector s, for example, direction is specified as s = sx i + syj + sz k (1)

The direction cosine values can be expressed in terms of a vector's zenith (θ) and azimuth (φ) angles, which for the example of the vector s are sx = sιn(θ_s) cos(φ_s) (2a) sy = sιn(θ_s) sιn(φ_s) (2b) sz = cos(θ_s) (2c)

Analogous expressions apply to the vectors n, t, and r

The time-varying components of the solar vector can be deπved from the standard equations for the position of the sun, see, for example, DiLaura, D L , et al , "Recommended Practice for the Calculation of Daylight Availability," Journal of the Illuminating Enαineeπnα Society, July 1984, 381- 392 They are sx = D + E cos(w) (3a) sy = C sιn(w) (3b) sz = A - B cos(w) (3c) where

A = sιn(L) sιn(d) (4)

B = cos^L) cos(d) (5)

C = cos(d) (6)

D = cos(L) sιn(d) (7)

E = sιn(L) cos(d) (8)

The variable L in Equations (4), (5), (7) and (8) is site latitude The variable d in Equations (4) - (8) is the declination and is computed as follows d = 0.4093 sin [( (2π) (J - 81 ) / 368 )] (9) where J is the Julian day of the year. Thus, the values of A through E will be constant for a given day of the year at a given site. The variable w in Equations (3a) - (3c) is the hour angle and is defined as: w = (π t) / 12 (10)

Solar time t in Equation (10) ranges from 0 hours to 24 hours. Solar noon is defined as 12:00 hours.

An original mathematical method of computation was developed to determine the change in direction of beam sunlight collected by a refractive interface. It is based on the geometry sketched in Figure 5.

In design problems involving a refractive interface, the components of the solar vector, s. and the normal to the interface, n, are known. The problem becomes one of computing the components of the vector t. From the figure: t • (- n) = cos α₂ (11 ) t • (- s) = cos (αi - α₂) (12) t • (s x n) = 0 (13) where

C = Cos^"1 (s • n) (14) α₂ = Sin^"1 [ (n1/n2) sin a_! ] (15)

Eqns. (11 ) and (12) are mathematical statements of Snell's law, keeping in mind that the dot product requires the vectors to meet at their tails. A third physical principle is invoked in Eqn. (13): All three vectors shown in Figure 5 must lie in the same plane. The vector cross product. s x n = (nz sy - πy sz)i + (nx sz - nz sx)j + (ny sx - nx sy)k (16) is a vector perpendicular to that plane; its dot product with the vector t is thus zero.

Eqns. (11 ) - (13) form a system of three equations in the three unknowns of the components of the vector t. A matrix form of these equations allows for easy computation, hence, they comprise a refraction matrix used to solve the design problems for the present invention.

The equations developed above tell how refraction changes the direction of sunlight at an interface. Given that information, it is possible to establish the parameters of a piece of contour that re-directs the sunlight . In this method, a piece of contour is represented as a small patch of material with its own normal vector, v_n.

If the desired direction of the solar beam is known, it can be represented by a vector v_t. Additionally, if the starting direction of a source ray is also known and called v_Sl the components of the normal to the contour v_n may be computed. These vector quantities are sketched in Figure 6.

The goal is to control the directions of the rays of sunlight refracted by a collection medium, which is the t vector introduced above. In fact, the vector v_s in Figure 6 may be taken as (-t). Further, the vector v_t may be taken as the ray that emerges from the refractive medium. The following two-step method was developed to solve this problem.

Step 1. Compute the specular version of the vector v_n.

The difficulty with refraction is that the angle between the incident ray and the vector normal to an interface is not the same as that between the refracted ray and the normal. This is not the case for specular reflection. It can be shown that the solution for the normal vector can be found for the case of specular reflection as: v_n • v_s = cos(β/2) (17) v„ • v, = cos(β/2) (18) n ^• (V_s X V,) = 0 (19) where β is the angle between v_s and v_t, as shown in Figure 6. This angle may be found from the dot product of those two vectors.

Step 2. Modify the vector v_n according to Snell's law.

There are a number of ways to accomplish this. The simplest is to notice that in the coordinate system of choice, the desired direction of v_t is parallel to a z-axis (rotational transformations hold without a loss of generality). In this case, the β-related angles in Figure 6 correspond to the zenith angles of a spherical coordinate system.

Starting with Snell's law and the angles as depicted in Figure B-2,

which after simplification yields a solution for the quantity Δβ:

n.

- 1 sm ( β ! 2 ) «2

Aβ Tan -\

(21) n

— + 1 cos( y0/ 2 ) Λ,

The specular v_n vector's zenith angle can then be simply decreased by the quantity Δβ to obtain the refractive version of v_n. Note that Eqns. (17)-(19) can also be used to quantify TIR within the refractive medium.

The foregoing information serves as the foundation for a design algorithm for minimizing the aiming errors of the present invention. BRIEF DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS:

FIG. 1 A IS A LINE FOCUS CONCENTRATOR WHICH ARCHES A REFRACTIVE

INTERFACE THAT HAS UNIFORM PROJECTIONS TO FORM THE FOCUS.

FIG. 1 B HAS THE AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS REMOVED AND SECONDARY

CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS INTACT.

FIG. 1 C BETTER SHOWS THE METHOD OF FORMING THE FOCUS.

FIG. 1 D SHOWS TOLERABLE EXIT SPREADS LEAVING THE BOTTOM SURFACE

OF THE ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.

FIG. 2A SHOWS A LINE FOCUS DESIGN WITH A FLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACE THAT

HAS VARYING PROJECTIONS. AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS ARE NOT DRAWN BUT

CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS ARE. THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE IS TORN/CRACKED.

FIG. 2B IS A SIDE ELEVATION WITH THE CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS REMOVED.

FIG. 2C BETTER SHOWS THE METHOD OF LINE FOCUS FORMATION WITH A FLAT

INTERFACE BY DEMONSTRATING THE ROUGH ANGLES OF THE PROJECTIONS.

FIG. 3A SHOWS TWO REFLECTORS FEEDING A REFRACTIVE INTERFACE WHICH

FOCUSES ON A BEAM SPLITTER (THAT CONCENTRATES AND SPLITS THE LIGHT).

FIG. 3B SHOWS A SIMILAR DESIGN WITH AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS ON ALL

FOUR SIDES OF THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.

FIG. 3C SHOW A SIMPLE SECONDARY OPTICS PIECE THAT WOULD FOCUS LIGHT

WITHOUT SPLITTING THE BEAM(S). HIGH INDEX SLATS WITH VIRTUAL AIR SPACES.

N.B.: THE TERMS "LINE" AND "POINT" FOCUS ARE USED AS GENERALITIES. OBVIOUSLY. SOME OF THE "LINES" COULD BETTER BE CALLED RECTANGULAR ZONES AND SOME OF THE "POINTS" COULD BE CALLED CIRCLES/SQUARES. FIG. 4A SHOWS A SIMPLE STRAIGHT BEAM SPUTTER (PRISMATIC SURFACE).

FIG. 4B SHOWS A TOP VIEW OF THE BEAM SPLITTER WHICH IS ARCHED TO

FURTHER CONCENTRATE THE LIGHT.

FIG. 4C SHOWS THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE SAME ARCHED BEAM SPLITTER

WITH THE PROJECTIONS THAT GUIDE THE LIGHT. THE CORRECTIONAL

REFLECTORS ARE NOT DRAWN.

FIG. 5A SHOWS AN EMBODIMENT WHERE REFLECTORS FEED A REFRACTIVE

INTERFACE SYSTEM TO FORM A POINT FOCUS.

FIG. 5B SHOWS AN EXPLODED VIEW WHERE THE REFRACTIVE PROJECTIONS ARE

UNIFORM AND THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACES ARCHED.

FIG. 5C SHOWS AN EXPLODED VIEW WHERE THE REFRACTIVE PROJECTIONS ARE

VARIED AND THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACES ARE FLAT.

FIG. 5D -SHOWS A PASSIVE SKYLIGHT APPLICATION OF THE POINT FOCUS DESIGN.

FIG. 5E SHOWS A WATER HEATING APPLICATION OF THE POINT FOCUS DESIGN.

FIG. 6A SHOWS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF POINT FOCUS FORMATION.

FIG. 6B SHOWS A BLOW-UP OF THE ULTRASTRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE

REFRACTIVE INTERFACES.

FIG. 7 SHOWS A VACUUM RECEPTOR FOR A POINT FOCUS DESIGN. SECONDARY

REFRACTIVE OPTICS MAY BE INTEGRATED INTO THE VACUUM CHAMBER.

FIG. 8A SHOWS A STIRLING ENGINE WITH A THERMAL GRADIENT COLLAR FEEDING A SECOND STIRLING ENGINE (THAT USES WASTE HEAT AND INCREASES DELTA T OF

THE FIRST CYLINDER).

FIG. 8B SHOWS A STIRLING ENGINE WITH A STEAM ENGINE USING THE WASTE

HEAT (AND THUS INCREASING DELTA T OF THE MAIN STIRLING CYLINDER).

FIG. 9A SHOWS A BLOW-UP OF THE WEDGE-SHAPED T.I.R. PROJECTIONS.

FIG. 9B SHOWS A VARIATION ON A WEDGE-SHAPED T.I.R. PROJECTION.

FIG. 9C SHOWS REPRESENTATIVE RAY TRACINGS.

FIGS. 9D,E,F&G SHOW ALTERNATIVE TIP SHAPES FOR THE T.I.R. PROJECTIONS.

FIGS. 10 A&B SHOW ONE LAYER POINT FOCUS FORMATION.

FIGS. 10C,D,E&F SHOW VARIATIONS ON THE REFRACTIVE INPUT GEOMETRY.

FIG. 10G SHOWS A SOUTH FACING REFLECTOR FEEDING A POINT FOCUS DESIGN

WHICH USES A BEAM SPUTTER TO SEPARATE RED-RICH FROM BLUE-RICH LIGHT.

FIG. 10H SHOWS A ONE LAYER POINT FOCUS MANUFACTURING SCHEME.

FIG. 1 1 SHOWS REFLECTIVE ULTRASTRUCTURAL CORRECTION OF A REFRACTIVE

OPTICAL WAVE GUIDE.

FIG. 12 SHOWS A TWO-SIDED REFLECTOR USED FOR EAST/WEST AUGMENTATION.

(THE REFLECTOR MOVES BASED ON FEEDBACK MECHANISMS).

FIG. 13 SHOWS A PARTICULARLY EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONER WHICH UTILIZES

HEAT OF VAPORIZATION ON THE WARM SIDE OF THE COMPRESSION CIRCUIT.

FIG. 14 SHOWS AN ACCELERATOR PEDAL COUPLED TO AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHICH RELEASES ELECTROLYTIC GASES FROM WATER.

FIG. 15 SHOWS A LOW INTENSITY "GRID" STYLE CONCENTRATOR WHICH APPROXIMATES THE THICKNESS OF A CONVENTIONAL SOLAR PANEL. REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST:

FIG I A:

1 ) REFLECTOR

2) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

3) REFLECTOR 5) FOCAL ZONE

FIG I B:

9) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

10) REFLECTOR

1 1 ) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 1 C:

12) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

13) FOCAL ZONE

FIG I D:

14) HOUSING

15) EXIT SPRAYS (LIGHT RAYS00

16) SECONDARY REFLECTIVE TROUGH

17) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 2A:

18) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE (PARTIALLY TORN AWAY)

19) REFLECTOR

20) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 2B:

21 ) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

22) FOCAL APPLIANCE

FIG 2C:

23, 24, 25) REFRACTIVE PROJECTIONS (T.I.R.)

FIG 3A:

26) REFLECTOR

27) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

28) PRISMATIC BEAM SPLITTER 29, 30) FOCAL ZONES FIG 3B:

31 , 32, 33) REFLECTORS

ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE AND BEAM SPLITTER ARE NOT NUMBERED

FIG 3C:

34) ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

35) ARCHED SECONDARY INTERFACE (REFRACTIVE SLATS WITH AIR INTERSTICES)

36) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 4A:

37) CLEAR PRISMATIC SURFACE

38) REFLECTIVE CORRECTION PIECE

39, 40) RED AND BLUE-RICH FOCAL ZONES

FIG 4B:

41 ) ARCHED CLEAR PRISMATIC PIECE

FIG 4C:

42) BOTTOM SURFACE OF ARCHED PRISMATIC PIECE WITH FRESNEL OR T.I.R. LINES

FIG 5A:

43) REFLECTORS

44) FIRST REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

FIG 5B:

(EXPLODED VIEW OF POINT FOCUS FORMATION)

45) REFLECTORS

46) ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

47) ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE ROTATED 90 DEGREES

48) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 5C:

49) REFLECTORS

50) FLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

51 ) FLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACE ROTATED 90 DEGREES

52) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 5D:

53) POINT FOCUS DESIGN, REFLECTORS REMOVED

54) LIGHT PIPE FIG 5E:

55) POINT FOCUS DESIGN(S)

56) LIGHT PIPE(S)

57) HOLDING/PREHEATING TANK

58) BOILER

FIG6A:

59) REFLECTORS

60) REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

61 ) TIPS OF REFRACTIVE FACETS

62) CONVEX COLUMATOR FACETS

63) FRESNEL/FOCUSING LAYER

64) CORRECTION REFLECTOR

65) FOCAL ZONE

FIG 6B:

66) REFRACTIVE FACET WITH CONVEX TOP SURFACE

67) TIP OF REFRACTIVE FACET WITH MULTIPLE PROJECTIONS - - A SINGLE PROJECTION COULD ALSO SUFFICE.

68) CONVEX COLLIMATOR FACET

69) FRESNEL/FOCUSING LAYER WITH RAYS EXITING TOWARD FOCUS

FIG 7:

70) CONVEX SECONDARY LENS INTEGRATED

71 ) VACUUM CHAMBER

72) THIN METALLIC RECEPTOR OR HEAT ACCEPTING PV DEVICE (TPV)

73) HEAT ENGINE

74) HEAT DISSIPATING MECHANISM TO AMBIENT AIR

FIG 8A:

75) MAIN STIRLING CYLINDER WITH PISTON

76) THERMAL GRADIENT COLLAR

77) RECAPTURE STIRLING CYLINDER WITH PISTON

FIG 8B:

78) MAIN STIRLING CYLINDER WITH PISTON

79) WATER JACKET

80) STEAM ENGINE WHICH DISSIPATES HEAT FROM STIRLING ENGINE

FIG 9A:

81 , 82, 83) WDGE-SHAPED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE BLOW-UPS

84) NOTCH FOR REFRACTION OF EXTREMELY ANGULAR RAYS TOWARD FOCUS FIG 9B:

85) CHEVRON OR CONCAVITY

86) MAIN REFRACTIVE FACET

87) ULTRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTIONS

FIG 9C AND 9C":

88) REPRESENTATIVE REFRACTIVE INDEX 1.7 HAS CRITICAL ANGLE OF 36 DEGREES WITH EXIT ANGLE 88 DEGREES (IN THEORY).

89, 90) REFLECTIVE CORRECTION OFF ADJACENT PROJECTION IS DEMONSTRATED

FIG 9D:

91 , 92) SURFACES WITH CURVED TAPERS

93) SURFACE WITH CURVED TAPER

94) STRAIGHT SURFACE WHICH COUL BE SILVERED

FIG 9F:

95) ULTRASRUCTURAL POLYGONAL SHAPES ON BOTTOM OF PROJECTION

FIG 9G:

96, 97) ULTRASTRUCTURAL POLYGONAL SHAPES WITH VARYING TAPERS ON BOπOM OF PROJECTION

FIG 10A:

98) REFLECTOR

99) DOME-SHAPED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

FIG 10B:

100) DOME-SHAPED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE WITH REPRESENTATIVE SPACE-OBLITERATING INPUTS.

101 ) CORRECTING REFLECTOR

102) FOCAL ZONE

FIGS 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F:

103, 104, 105, 106) VARIOUS REPRESENTATIVE INPUT SHAPES.

RADIAL WEDGE SHAPES WOULD ALSO BE FEASIBLE.

CONCENTRIC CIRCULAR WEDGE SHAPES WOULD BE TOO.

FIGS 10G AND 10G':

107) SOUTH FACING REFLECTOR (NORTHERN AREAS SUCH AS NEW YORK) 108) REPRESENTATIVE DOME-SHAPED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

109) SCHEMATIC PRISMATIC SURFACE (CIRCULAR)

1 10) HYBRID RECEPTOR

1 1 1 ) LIGHT EXITING PRISM

FIG 10H:

1 12) INJECTION MOLD

1 13) FINE PROJECTIONS WHICH MUST BE PULLED STRAIGHT FROM MOLD

1 14) VACUFORM STEP WITH

1 1 ) COOLING OF TIPS OF FINE PROJECTIONS

1 16) RESULTINGIN DOME-SHAPED POINT FOCUS

1 17) SECPNDARY REFLECTORS LEADING TO FOCUS

FIG 1 1 :

1 18) REPRESENTATIVE REFRACTIVE FACET

1 19) REFLECTIVE COLLIMATION (WHICH COULD BE FOLLOWED BY A FOCUSING FRESNEL SURFACE)

FIG 12:

120, 122) TWO-SIDED REFLECTOR

121 ) REPRESENTATIVE FOCUS

FIG 13:

122) WATER FROM CITY

123) FLOAT SENSOR 124, 125) FANS

126) WARM COILS IN LONG, NARROW ENCLOSURE

127) COLD COILS

128) COMPRESSOR

129) CONTROLS, PLUMBING AND WIRING

130) VALVE FOR COOLING WATER OVER WARM SIDE COILS/FIN TUBES

FIG 14:

131) ELECTRICAL INPUT

132) ELECTRICAL STORAGE

133) WATER TANK FOR ELECTROLYTIC GAS PRODUCTION

134) CONDUIT

135) FOSSIL FUEL OR NATURAL GAS TANK

136) COMBUSTION ENGINE

137) SWITCH

138, 139) FUEL DISTRIBUTOR PEDAL AND ELECTROLYTIC GAS DISTRIBUTOR PEDAL

140) MAIN PEDAL

FIG 15:

141 ) REPRESENTATIVE REFRACTIVE FACET

142) CONVEX TOP SURFACE

143) SEMICONDUCTOR SPECIFIC OPERATIVE DESCRIPTIONS:

IN FIGURE 1 A, REFLECTORS 1 AND 3 FEED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE 2 WHICH GUIDES

LIGHT TOWARD FOCUS 5, SAID LIGHT BEING CORRECTED BY REFLECTOR 4.

REFLECTORS 1 AND 3 MAY BE STRAIGHT OR CURVED AND SHOULD BE COVERED

WITH A THIN LAYER OF CLEAR REFRACTIVE MATERIAL SO THAT THE UV LOAD IS

DISTRIBUTED EVENLY OVER THE CONCENTRATOR. THE RADIUS OF CURVATURE,

REFRACTIVE INDEX AND ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE MAY VARY

ACCORDING TO A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT, ALTHOUGH THE PROJECTIONS FROM

THE BOTTOM SURFACE GENERALLY TAPER (AND ARE LONG/THIN) AND ARE OF

APPROPRIATELY HIGH INDEX. THE TAPERS MAY BE UNIFORM OR ASYMMETRIC AND

THE INDECIES OF REFRACTION MAY BE GRADED, THE HIGHER INDECIES GENERALLY

CLOSER TO THE TIPS. MICRO-POLYGONAL SHAPES MAY BE ADDED TO THE

PROJECTIONS TO FURTHER DIRECT THE LIGHT. THE PROJECTIONS MAY ALSO BE

FILLED WITH A HIGH INDEX SUBSTANCE, SUCH AS A CLEAR OIL. IN THE CASE

WHERE THE PROJECTIONS ARE WEDGE-SHAPED, ANGULAR BREAKS IN THE WEDGES

AT MEASURED INTERVALS MAY ALSO ACT TO REFRACT LIGHT TO THE FOCUS - -

ESPECIALLY AT THE SOLSTICES. THE CONCENTRATOR IN FIGURE 1 A DOES NOT

TRACK AND WOULD FACE SOUTH IF IN A NORTHERN AREA (SUCH AS NEW YORK).

FIGURE 1 B DEMONSRATES THAT LIGHT FROM DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY MAY

STRIKE THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE AT DIFFERENT ANGLES AND STILL BE REFRACTED

TOWARD THE FOCUS. FIGURE 1 C JUST SHOWS AGAIN HOW THE ARCHED REFRACTIVE SURFACE TENDS TO FORM A LINE FOCUS AND FIGURE I D HAS

ENOUGH OF THE HOUSING REMOVED TO SHOW A REALISTIC REPRESENTATION

OF THE EXIT SPREADS LEAVING THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE AND HOW THESE

RAYS ARE ULTIMATELY COLLECTED. IN GENERAL, HIGHER INDECIES OF

REFRACTION IN THE ULTRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTIONS ON THE BOTTOM OF

THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE WILL RESULT IN NARROWER EXIT SPREADS.

THE SYSTEM SHOWN, MAY HAVE THE ANGLES OF ITS AUGMENTATION

REFLECTORS CHANGED TO OPTIMIZE THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REFRACTIVE

SURFACE AND MAY USE AUXILLARY EAST-WEST AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS

WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER. THE RECEPTOR MAY BE A PHOTOVOLTAIC

APPLIANCE (SEMICONDUCTOR, ETC.), PHOTOTHERMAL APPLIANCE SUCH AS A

BLACK PIPE OR SOME OTHER DEVICE, SUCH AS A LIGHT PIPE.

FIGURE 2A IS A CRACKED FRONT VIEW OF ANOTHER NON-TRACKING

CONCENTRATOR, WHICH WE CALL THE "CHIPMUNK UNIT." THE AUGMENTATION

REFLECTORS ARE NOT INCLUDED AND THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE IS

PARTIALLY TORN AWAY TO REVEAL SECONDARY REFLECTOR 19 AND FOCUS 20.

ALL OF THE SAME POTENTIAL VARIATIONS APPLY TO FIGURE 2A AS TO FIGURE 1 A

EXCEPT THAT THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE IS FLAT, WITH PROJECTIONS THAT

LEAVE THE BOTTOM SURFACE AT VARYING ANGLES POINTING TOWARD THE

FOCUS. FIGURE 2B IS A SIDE ELEVATION WITH ALL REFLECTORS REMOVED WHERE

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REFRACTIVE SURFACE 21 AND RECEPTOR 22 IS OBVIOUS. FIGURE 2C SHOWS PROJECTIONS 23, 24 AND 25 LEAVING THE BOTTOM

SURFACE AT REPRESENTATIVE VARYING ANGLES. THE PROJECTIONS MAY INCLUDE

ALL THE VARIATIONS DESCRIBED FOR FIGURE 1 A. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE SHOWN

HERE AS WHAT APPEAR TO BE TWO DIMENSIONAL WEDGES, IN THREE DIMENSIONS

THEY MAY TAPER TO POINTS, SIMILAR TO LONG CONES. THE INPUT SIDES OF SAID

"CONES" MAY BE HEXAGONAL, SQUARE, TRIANGULAR (SPACE OBLITERATING) OR

PLAIN CIRCLES. IN ALL INSTANCES, A SUPPORTING LAYER IS NEEDED ABOVE THE

PROJECTIONS TO HOLD THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE TOGETHER. AS FOR FIGURE

1 A, THE CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS FOR FIGURE 2A MAY BE STRAIGHT OR CURVED

AND CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE ACCORDING TO THE RAYS

RECEIVED FROM THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.

FIGURE 3A SHOWS REFLECTOR 26 FEEDING REFRACTIVE INTERFACE 27 WHICH

CONCENTRATES LIGHT ON PRISMATIC BEAM SPUTTER 28. FIGURE 3B SHOWS AN

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT WHERE REFLECTORS 31 , 32, 33 AND A HIDDEN

REFLECTOR COVER ALL FOUR SIDES OF AN ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.

AGAIN, THE LIGHT IS FOCUSED ON A PRISMATIC BEAM SPLITTER WHICH SEPARATES

RED-RICH FROM BLUE-RICH LIGHT AND FURTHER CONCENTRATES. CORRECTIONAL

REFLECTORS ARE NOT SHOWN. FIGURE 3C SHOWS A TRACKING COLLECTOR

SIMILAR TO FIGURE 3B WHICH FOCUSES ON A SECONDARY OPTICS PIECE (35)

CONSISTING OF CLEAR REFRACTIVE SLATS SEPARATED BY VIRTUAL AIR SPACES.

I.E. THE LIGHT IS FURTHER CONCENTRATED USING T.I.R., BUT THE BEAMS ARE NOT SPLIT. THE CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS AGAIN ARE NOT SHOWN. THE

SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS DESIGN IS THAT IT USES A MINIMUM OF REFRACTIVE

RAW MATERIAL TO FORM A POINT FOCUS (36) FROM A LARGE INTAKE AREA.

ALL OF THE AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS IN 3A, 3B AND 3C CAN BE STRAIGHT

OR CURVED, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT.

FIGURE 4A SHOWS A SIMPLE PRISMATIC BEAM SPLITTER WITH CORRECTION

REFLECTORS. THE ADVANTAGE OF BEAM SPLITTING IS THAT CERTAIN

SEMICONDUCTORS HAVE EFFICIENCIES THAT PEAK AT VARIOUS WAVELENGTHS.

SILICON, FOR INSTANCE, PEAKS IN THE BLUE/GREEN RANGE WHILE GERMANIUM

PEAKS CLOSER TO RED. FIGURE 4B SHOWS THE PRISMATIC SURFACE ARCHED TO

FURTHER CONCENTRATE AS IT SPLITS AND 4C SHOWS THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF

THAT ARCH. THE LINES MAY BE T.I.R. PROJECTIONS OR FRESNEL LENS LINES (42).

FIGURE 5A SHOWS REFLECTORS (43) FEEDING A PRIMARY REFRACTIVE

INTERFACE 44 TO FORM A POINT FOCUS. THE REFLECTORS MAY BE STRAIGHT

OR CURVED AND MAY HAVE THEIR ANGLES ADJUSTED WITH RESPECT TO THE

REFRACTIVE INTERFACE FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE. FOR ELECTRICAL

PRODUCTION, THIS SYSTEM MAY TRACK CRUDELY. FIGURE 5B SHOWS AN

EXPLODED VIEW OF POINT FOCUS FORMATION WHERE THE REFRACTIVE

INTERFACES ARE ARCHED. LIGHT IS HARNESSED BY THE REFLECTORS AND FED TO

THE FIRST REFRACTIVE INTERFACE(46). THE SECOND REFRACTIVE INTERFACE (47) IS

ROTATED 90 DEGREES TO FORM THE FOCUS. ALL THE VARIATIONS APPLYING TO THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACE IN 1 A ALSO APPLY HERE. FIGURE 5C SHOWS THE

ANALOGOUS SITUATION WITH FLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACES 50 AND 51 ROTATED

90 DEGREES TO FORM THE FOCUS (52). ALL THE SAME VARIATIONS APPLYING TO

FLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACES APPLY HERE AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THE PROJECTIONS

MUST VARY (POINTING TOWARD THE FOCUS) AND TAPER, SIMILAR TO WEDGES.

AGAIN, A THIN LAYER OF REFRACTIVE SUBSTANCE COATING THE REFLECTORS

TENDS TO SPREAD THE UV LOAD. FIGURE 5D SHOWS AN ALTERNATIVE

EMBODIMENT WITH THE REFLECTORS REMOVED FOR PASSIVE LIGHTING. STRAIGHT

OR ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACES COULD BE USED. CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS

(53) FEED A LIGHT PIPE (54). FIGURE 5E SHOWS AN EMBODIMENT FOR WATER

HEATING WITH ONE AUGMENTATION REFLECTOR. LIGHT PIPES (56) LEAD DIRECTLY

TO THE HOLDING/PRE-HEATING TANK [57) SO THAT THERE ARE NO MOVING PARTS

AT ALL. THE AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS MAY BE STRAIGHT OR CURVED AS MAY

THE REFRACTIVE INTERFACES (DEPENDING ON THE BOTTOM PROJECTIONS). EAST-

WEST AUGMENTATION SYSTEMS, SUCH AS THOSE THAT WILL BE DESCRIBED LATER,

MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED FOR LARGER COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS.

FIGURE 6A SHOWS AN ALTERNATIVE POINT FOCUS DESIGN. LIGHT FROM

REFLECTORS (59) ENTER REFRACTIVE CONICAL SHAPES (60/61 ) FROM WHICH

A CONE OF LIGHT EXITS AND IS COLLIMATED BY A CONVEX SURFACE (62) AND

FOCUSED BY A LARGER FRESNEL LAYER (63). THE FRESNEL LAYER IS ONE PIECE

WITH THE GRID OF CONVEX COLLIMATORS. THE TIPS OF THE REFRACTIVE CONICAL SHAPES MAY BE SINGLE POINTS, OR MULTIPLE PROJECTIONS, AS IN

FIGURE 6B. THE REFLECTORS MAY LIKEWISE BE CIRCULAR, RECTANGULAR OR

HEXAGONAL AND MAY TAPER TOWARD THE REFRACTIVE SURFACE IN A STRAIGHT

OR CURVED FASHION. FIGURE 6B IS A BLOW-UP OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

THE REFRACTIVE CONES AND THE COLLIMATING/FRESNEL SURFACE. INDEX 1.8 IS

ONLY CHOSEN FOR THE EXAMPLE. THE KEY FEATURE OF THE REFRACTIVE INDEX IS

ONLY THAT IT IS "HIGH." THE TOP PART OF REFRACTIVE CONICAL SHAPES MAY BE

CONVEX, SO AS TO TEND TO GUIDE LIGHT TO THE POINT FROM WHERE IT

DIVERGES TO HIT THE CONVEX COLLIMATION LAYER (68) AND THEN THE FRESNEL

LAYER (69).

FIGURE 7 SHOWS A VACUUM RECEPTOR FOR A POINT FOCUS. CONVEX

REFRACTIVE LAYER 70 MAY FEED VACUUM CHAMBER 71 WITH RAYS ULTIMATELY

CONVERGING ON A THIN BLACK METAL PIECE 72. A THERMAL GRADIENT MAY

THEN GUIDE THE HEAT TO A STIRLING OR OTHER HEAT ENGINE 73, SAID HEAT

EVENTUALLY DISSIPATED TO THE AMBIENT AIR 74.

FIGURE 8A SHOWS A STIRLING ENGINE INTENDED TO BE AT THE POINT FOCUS

OF A BIG SYSTEM. MAIN CYLINDER 75 IS ATTACHED TO A THERMAL GRADIENT

JACKET 76 WHICH FEEDS THE WASTE HEAT TO A SECOND ENGINE 77. THUS DELTA

T OF THE FIRST CYLINDER (AND ITS EFFICIENCY) IS ALSO INCREASED. THE THERMAL

GRADIENT JACKET MAY BE OPTIMIZED VIA INFRARED STUDIES TO TRANSFER HEAT

WITH MAXIMAL BENEFIT. A THIRD STIRLING ENGINE MAY BE ATTACHED TO THE SECOND IN A SIMILAR MANNER OR A MULTIPLICITY OF ENGINES MAY BE

ATTACHED TO THE MAIN CYLINDER OF THE MAIN ENGINE. OTHER "STICK"

ENGINES, "V" SHAPED AND "SIDE BY SIDE" CYLINDER DESIGNS CAN USE

THIS SAME HEAT RECAPTURE PRINCIPLE RATHER THAN A WATER JACKET TO

INCREASE DELTA T AND DISSIPATE HEAT. THERE ARE LOW DELTA T STIRLING

ENGINES WHICH ARE PARTICULARLY WELL-SUITED FOR THIS.

FIGURE 8B SHOWS A STIRING ENGINE MAIN CYLINDER 78 WHICH FEEDS A

WATER JACKET THAT CONNECTS TO A STEAM ENGINE (THE WATER FROM THE

WATER JACKET ULTIMATELY PROVIDING VAPOR PRESSURE). AGAIN, THE HEAT

GRADIENT MAY BE OPTIMIZED USING INFRARED STUDIES. THE IDEAL POSITION

OF THE WATER JACKET AND RELATIVE SIZING OF THE ENGINES CAN ALSO BE

OPTIMIZED.

FIGURE 9A SHOWS A BLOW-UP OF THE MAIN ARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACE

FROM FIGURE I A (WITH PROJECTIONS 81 , 82 AND 83). OBVIOUSLY, THE WEDGES

CANNOT SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND SO NEED A CONTINUOUS CLEAR LAYER

ABOVE THEM. THEY MAY BE FILLED WITH A HIGH REFRACTIVE INDEX OIL, HAVE

A HIGHER REFRACTIVE INDEX NEAR THE TIP OR USE MICRO-POLYGONAL SHAPES

TO REDIRECT THE LIGHT TOWARD THE FOCUS. NOTCH 84 TENDS TO REFRACT RAYS

TOWARD THE FOCUS THAT COME IN AT SHALLOW ANGLES (AROUND THE

SOLSTICES). FIGURE 9C AND 9C" SHOW REPRESENTATIVE RAY TRACINGS FOR

A REFRACTIVE INDEX OF 1.7. AGAIN, WE ARE NOT SPECIFYING THAT AS THE INDEX OF CHOICE, THE ONLY ABSOLUTE BEING THAT THE INDEX IS "HIGH."

ALTHOUGH THE CRITICAL ANGLE OF 36 DEGREES YIELDS AN EXIT ANGLE OF

88 DEGREES IN THEORY, IN PRACTICE A "SPRAY" OF LIGHT EMERGES. FIGURE 9B

SHOWS A "STAGED CHEVRONED" WEDGE. CHEVRON 85 TENDS TO LATERAUZE

THE INCIDENT LIGHT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF INTERNAL REFLECTIONS.

MICRO-WEDGES 87 THEN TAKE THE LIGHT THROUGH T.I.R. AND TOWARD THE

FOCUS. FIGURE 9C" DEMONSTRATES THAT MUCH OF THAT "SPRAY" TENDS TO

AUTO-CORRECT BY GLANCING OFF AN ADJACENT STRATA 90 (WEDGE/LAYER).

THIS INFORMATION CAN BE FED INTO A COMPUTER FOR DESIGN OPTIMAUZATION.

CLEARLY, LIGHT WHICH EXITS THE TIP WITH A WIDE "SPRAY" IS THE MOST

TROUBLESOME AND THAT SPRAY MAY BE NARROWED WITH HIGHER INDECIES,

MICRO-POLYGONAL SHAPES AND VARIED TAPERS. FIGURES 9D AND 9E SHOW

ALTERNATIVE TAPERS. SINGLE SIDES, SUCH AS SIDE 94, CAN BE SILVERED - - THUS

FORCING THE LIGHT TO EXIT FROM A DESIRED TAPER IN A KNOWN DIRECTION.

FIGURE 9F SHOWS MICRO-SCORING OF THE BOTTOM OF PROJECTION 95.

FIGURE 9G SHOWS VARYING MICRO-TIP TAPERS 96 AND 97.

FIGURE 10A SHOWS A SCHEMATIC OF A REFLECTIVELY AUGMENTED ONE-LAYER

POINT FOCUS DESIGN. THE FRONT OF THE REFLECTIVE CONE 98 HAS BEEN

TORN AWAY TO REVEAL THE REFRACTIVE DOME 99. FIGURE 10B IS ANOTHER

ONE-LAYER SCHEMATIC WHERE THE REFRACTIVE DOME 100 IS SHOWN WITHOUT

AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS BUT FEEDING SECONDARY REFLECTORS 101 LEADING TO A FOCUS 102. FIGURES I OC, D, E AND F SHOW POSSIBLE SHAPES OF

THE INPUTS OF THE PROJECTIONS. THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE

REFRACTIVE INTERFACE ARE OF HIGH INDEX AND POINT TOWARD THE FOCUS.

THEIR EXACT GEOMETRY IS INDEX-DEPENDENT AND ALL THAT CAN BE SAID AT THIS

TIME IS THAT THEY ARE LONG, THIN AND TAPERED. FIGURE 10G AND 10G' SHOW

A REFLECTIVELY AUGMENTED DOME SHAPED POINT FOCUS DESIGN (ONE LAYER).

THE LIGHT IS SPLIT BY A POINT FOCUS PRISMATIC DEVICE INTO A RED INNER ZONE

AND A BLUE OUTER ZONE. HYBRID RECEPTOR 1 10 HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF

SEMICONDUCTORS AT THE CENTER AND PERIPHERY, ACCORDING TO THEIR

WAVELENGTH PREFERENCES. FIGURE 10H SHOWS A SCHEMATIC FLOW CHART

WHICH SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF GETTING LONG THIN PROJECTIONS OUT OF THE

MOLD AND THEN POINTING THEM TOWARD THE FOCUS. A VACUFORM STEP 1 14

IS ADDED AFTER THE INJECTION MOLDING STEP WITH A COOL FLUID PROTECTING

THE FINE PROJECTION TIPS. THE RESULT IS A ONE LAYER DOME THAT FORMS A

POINT FOCUS (ZONE) AFER SECONDARY REFLECTORS 1 17.

FIGURE 1 1 SHOWS HOW A REFLECTIVE SURFACE 1 19 CAN COLLIMATE DIVERGENT

FROM A REFRACTIVE INPUT FACET 1 18. THE SPECIFIC SHAPES OF THE REFLECTIVE

AND REFRACTIVE FACETS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE REPRESENTED BY THE

DRAWING. SUCH A DEVICE MIGHT BE USED TO CONCENTRATE LIGHT OR AS A

PASSIVE SKYLIGHT, PERHAPS FED BY CHEAP REFLECTORS.

FIGURE 12 SHOWS A TWO SIDED REFLECTOR (120 IN A.M./122 IN P.M.) WHICH AUGMENTS A RECEPTOR 121. THE REFLECTORS COULD MOVE ONCE PER DAY

SUCH AS AT NOON BASED ON A SEMICONDUCTOR EMERGING FROM A SHADOW,

OR ON DEMAND, SUCH AS TO AUGMENT THE TAIL OF A SOLAR ELECTRIC BOAT.

FIGURE 13 SHOWS AN EXTREMELY EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WHICH

MIGHT WELL BE PAIRED WITH A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM. COLD WATER IS PIPED

TO A HOLDING TANK WHICH IS REGULATED BY A FLOAT SENSOR. WHEN THE

THERMOSTAT TRIPS THE COMPRESSOR 128, VALVE 130 OPENS AND DRIPS WATER

ONTO THE WARM SIDE OF THE COMPRESSION CIRCUIT. A LONG, THIN COIL

SYSTEM FROM THE WARM SIDE EXTENDS DOWN A TUBE INTO WHICH HIGH SPEED

TURBULENT AIR IS PUMPED VIA FAN 124. THE LONG, THIN COIL SYSTEM 126 CAN BE

A STANDARD COPPER/ALUMINUM FIN TUBE BUT MUST BE PROTECTED FROM

CORROSION. A SEPARATE FAN 125 BLOWS COOL AIR INTO THE BUILDING.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER USED AND ENERGY TO "SWAMP COOL" THE WARM SIDE

OF THE COMPRESSION CIRCUIT ALONE SHOULD BE MUCH LESS THAN IN OTHER

EVAPORATIVE COOLERS WHICH DUNK FIN TUBES INTO WATER, ETC. ETC.

IN ADDITION, IT SHOULD BE SYNERGISTICALLY ADVANTAGEOUS TO USE HEAT

OF VAPORIZATION SOMEWHERE THAT IT IS WARM ALREADY. THE DESIGN SHOWN

IS FOR BIG SYSTEMS, BUT SMALLER INDOOR MODELS COULD BE SIMILARLY

PRODUCED WITH DUCTS TO BLOW OFF THE MOIST HEAT, SUCH AS THROUGH A

WINDOW.

FIGURE 14 SHOWS A SYSTEM BY WHICH ELECTROLYTIC HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN CAN BE FED INTO AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, EITHER ABOVE THE

INTAKE VALVES OR DIRECTLY INTO THE CYLINDERS. ELECTRICITY, EITHER FROM

SOLAR ENERGY OR BRAKING REGENERATORS IS STORED - - SUCH AS VIA

BATTERIES OR CAPACITORS (132). WHEN THE PEDAL 140 IS DEPRESSED TO RELEASE

FUEL TO THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, A SWITCH IS ALSO ACTIVATED THAT

RELEASES ELECTRICITY (CATHODE/ANODE) INTO WATER CHAMBER 130.

ELECTROLYTIC GASES ARE THUS PRODUCED AND PIPED INTO THE INTERNAL

COMBUSTION ENGINE, BURNING CLEANLY AND INCREASING ITS EFFICIENCY.

BECAUSE THE ENERGY TO MAKE THE ELECTROLYTIC GASES IS STORED AS

ELECTRICITY, THERE IS NO STORAGE TANK FOR HYDROGEN/OXYGEN THAT

COULD EXPLODE. AND THE RELEASE OF THE GASES IS AUTOMATICALY TIMED

TO COINCIDE WITH ACCELERATION. SUCH A SYSTEM COULD BE RETROFITTED

ONTO EXISTING VEHICLES. IT MIGHT ALSO BE USED TO AUGMENT A

CONVENTIONAL BOILER FOR A HOME OR EVEN A WOOD STOVE. A FUEL CELL

FED WITH THESE ELECTROLYTIC GASES WOULD HAVE ITS EFFICIENCY SKYROCKET.

FIGURE 15 SHOWS A "GRID" STYLE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR WHERE A HIGH INDEX

SUBSTANCE BRINGS LIGHT TO A SHORT FOCUS. HEXAGONAL INPUTS ARE SHOWN,

ALTHOUGH OTHER SHAPES SUCH AS SQUARES AND CIRCLES CAN BE USED. THE

TOP SURFACE SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY CONVEX ( 142) SO AS TO GUIDE LIGHT TO THE

FOCUS, WHERE TINY SEMICONDUCTORS ARE PLACED DIRECTLY (143). THESE

SEMICONDUCTORS MIGHT SIT ON A METAL GRID (THEIR BACK SIDE) AND HAVE A THIN WIRE GRID ON THEIR TOP SURFACE. THE HIGH INDEX SUBSTANCE

COULD HAVE STRAIGHT OR CURVED TAPERS, SAID TAPERS BEING UNIFORM

OR ASYMMETRIC DEPENDING ON THE EMBODIMENT. THE OUTER WALLS OF

THE REFRACTIVE FACETS COULD ALSO BE SILVERED. SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD

HAVE A WIDE ENOUGH ANGLE OF ACCEPTANCE TO ACCEPT LIGHT FROM

CHEAP REFLECTORS. IN PRACTICE, CONCENTRATION RATIOS OF 9 SUNS HAVE

BEEN REACHED. IN THEORY, SLIGHTLY HIGHER CONCENTRATION RATIOS ARE

POSSIBLE, BUT ONLY AT VERY HIGH INDECIES OF REFRACTION AND WITH THE

ANGLE OF ACCEPTANCE COMPROMISED.

Claims

I CLAIM:1 ) A WIDE ANGLE OF ACCEPTANCE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR COMPRISED OFAUGMENTATION REFLECTORS FEEDING LIGHT TO A MAIN REFRACTIVEINTERFACE WHICH FURTHER CONCENTRATES SAID LIGHT VIA SECONDARYREFLECTORS INTO THE SHAPE OF A LONG, THIN RECTANGLE. THE MAINIMPROVEMENT OVER THE PRIOR ART IS THAT SAID SOLAR CONCENTRATORCAN ACHIEVE COST-EFFECTIVE CONCENTRATION WITHOUT THE USE OFTRACKING MECHANISMS AND SAID MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE HASGREATLY REDUCED SENSITIVITY TO ANGLE OF INCIDENCE DUE TO THE USEOF TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION IN THE PROJECTIONS FROM ITS BOTTOM.2) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR IN CLAIM 1 WHERE THE RADIUS OF CURVATUREOF THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE IS ADJUSTED TO FORM THE FOCAL ZONE.3) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE MAIN REFRACTIVEINTERFACE IS FLAT AND THE FOCAL ZONE IS FORMED BY VARYING THE ANGLESOF THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE (POINTING THEM TOWARDTHE FOCUS).4) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE RECEPTOR APPLIANCEIS A PHOTOVOLTAIC SEMICONDUCTOR.5) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE RECEPTOR APPLIANCEIS A LIGHT PIPE. 6) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE RECEPTOR APPLIANCEIS PHOTOTHERMAL, SUCH AS A BLACK PIPE OR BLACK ENVELOPE.7) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE AUGMENTATIONREFLECTORS ARE FLAT AND HAVE THEIR ANGLES ADJUSTED FOR OPTIMALOUTPUT (WITH RESPECT TO THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE).8) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE AUGMENTATIONREFLECTORS ARE CURVED AND HAVE THEIR ANGLES ADJUSTED FOR OPTIMALOUTPUT (WITH RESPECT TO THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE).9) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THESECONDARY/CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS ARE STRAIGHT AND ANGLED TOOPTIMIZE OVERALL OUTPUT.10) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THESECONDARY/CORRECTIVE REFLECTORS ARE CURVED AND ANGLED TOOPTIMIZE OVERALL OUTPUT.1 1 ) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHERE THE AUGMENTATIONREFLECTORS ARE COVERED WITH A THIN LAYER OF CLEAR REFRACTIVEMATERIAL SO AS TO EVENLY DISTRIBUTE THE UN. LOAD OVER THE INTAKE AREA.12) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WITH NO AUGMENTATIONREFLECTORS AT ALL. 13) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WITH FULL SEASONALAUGMENTATION REFLECTORS AND TWO-SIDED EAST/WEST AUGMENTATIONREFLECTORS THAT MOVE ONCE DAILY.14) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WITH WEDGE-SHAPEDPROJECTIONS EXITING ITS BOTTOM SURFACE THAT HAVE STRAIGHT WALLS.15) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WITH WEDGE-SHAPEDPROJECTIONS EXITING ITS BOTTOM SURFACE THAT HAVE CURVED WALLS.16) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHICH HAS PROJECTIONS THATHAVE SPACED NOTCHES SO AS TO GUIDE LIGHT TO THE FOCUS THAT HITS ATVERY SHALLOW ANGLES (AROUND THE SOLSTICES).17) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHICH HAS A UNIFORMLY HIGHINDEX OF REFRACTION.18) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 WHICH HAS A HIGH INDEX OFREFRACTION THAT INCREASES NEARER THE DISTAL ENDS OF THE PROJECTIONS(GRADED INDEX).19) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 THAT HAS PROJECTIONS WHICHTAPER TO POINTS (SIMILAR TO CONICAL RODS) AND THAT MAY EXIT FROMVARIOUS BASELINE SHAPES (HEXAGONS, SQUARES, CIRCLES OR TRIANGLES).20) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 THAT HAS PROJECTIONS, SUCHAS FROM CLAIM 19, THAT TAPER IN A STRAIGHT FASHION. 21 ) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 THAT HAS PROJECTIONS, SUCHAS FROM CLAIM 19, THAT TAPER IN A CURVED FASHION.22) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 THAT UTILIZES ULTRASTRUCTURALPOLYGONAL SHAPES ON THE PROJECTIONS TO FURTHER GUIDE THE LIGHTTOWARD THE FOCUS.23) THE SOLAR CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 1 THAT UTILIZES MATERIALS OFEXTREMELY HIGH REFRACTIVE INDEX, SUCH AS CLEAR OILS, ENCASED INITS MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE.24) THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE FROM THE ABOVE CLAIMS FED BY AMULTIPLICITY OF AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS WHICH MAY BE STRAIGHT ORCURVED. SAID ARRANGEMENT WOULD TRACK THE SUN.25) THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE FROM THE ABOVE CLAIMS FEEDING APRISMATIC BEAM SPLITTER WITH CORRECTIONAL REFLECTORS ATTACHED.26) SAID CORRECTIONAL BEAM SPUTTER ARCHED TO FURTHERCONCENTRATE THE RED-RICH AND BLUE-RICH LIGHT. FRESNEL OR T.I.R.PROJECTIONS ON THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID ARCHED BEAM SPUTTER.27) THE MAIN REFRACTIVE INTERFACE FROM THE ABOVE CLAIMS FEEDING ASECONDARY REFRACTIVE PIECE COMPRISED OF PLAIN HIGH INDEX SLATSSEPARATED BY VIRTUAL AIR SPACES AND ARCHED TO FURTHER CONCENTRATETHE LIGHT. THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS THAT THE TOTALAMOUNT OF REFRACTIVE MATERIAL USED TO FORM THE FOCUS IS MINIMAL. 28) A POINT FOCUS SYSTEM IN WHICH AN ARRAY OF REFLECTORS FEEDS LIGHTTO A REFRACTIVE INTERFACE (WHICH MAY COMPRISE ANY OF THE ELEMENTSDESCRIBED ABOVE, BUT FOR THIS CLAIM HAS WEDGE-SHAPED PROJECTIONSTHAT TAPER IN A STRAIGHT OR CURVED MANNER, WITH UNIFORM OR GRADEDINDEX OF REFRACTION). LIGHT FROM THE FIRST REFRACTIVE INTERFACE FEEDSA SECOND REFRACTIVE INTERFACE WHICH HAS BEEN ROTATED 90 DEGREES,SAID LIGHT THEREAFTER BEING CORRECTED BY REFLECTORS AND FED TO AHEAT ENGINE SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED ADVANCES THE PRIOR ARTBECAUSE IT CAN ACCEPT LIGHT FROM CHEAP REFLECTORS AND DOES NOTNEED TO TRACK ACCURATELY. THE RECEPTORS HAVE ADVANTAGES OVERTHE PRIOR ART BECAUSE THEY USE WASTE HEAT PRODUCTIVELY AND ARE THUSHIGHLY EFFICIENT IN THEORY. HIGH CONCENTRATION RATIOS ARE POSSIBLE.29) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WITH STRAIGHT REFLECTORS THAT AREOPTIMIZED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ANGULAR RELATIONSHIPS TO THEREFRACTIVE INTERFACES.30) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WITH CURVED REFLECTORS THAT AREOPTIMIZED WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ANGULAR RELATIONSHIPS TO THEREFRACTIVE INTERFACES. (SEE FIGURES 5A, B AND C FOR CLAIMS 28, 29 &30).31 ) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE THE REFLECTORS ANDREFRACTIVE INTERFACES ARE CIRCULAR OR APPROXIMATE CIRCULARGEOMETRY. 32) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE SAID CIRCULAR REFLECTORSTAPER UNIFORMLY (IN A STRAIGHT MANNER) .33) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE SAID CIRCULAR REFLECTORSTAPER IN A CURVED MANNER.34) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE THE FOCUS IS ADJUSTED USINGARCHED REFRACTIVE INTERFACES SUCH AS THOSE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.35) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE THE FOCUS IS ADJUSTED USINGFLAT REFRACTIVE INTERFACES SUCH AS THOSE MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.36) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 USED WITH A LIGHT PIPE AS THERECEPTOR (FOR PASSIVE LIGHTING). NO TRACKING WOULD BE USED IN THISEMBODIMENT AND ONLY APPROPRIATE AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS.37) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 USING LIGHT PIPES WHICH CONNECTDIRECTLY TO PRE-HEATING TANKS FOR DOMESTIC WATER HEATING.38) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHICH USES AN ALTERNATIVE METHODOF POINT FOCUS FORMATION, SAID LIGHT BEING PASSED TO THE POINTS OFREFRACTIVE FACETS FROM WHICH IT DIVERGES AND HITS A CONVEXCOLLIMATION SURFACE WHICH THEN FEEDS THE COLLIMATED LIGHT TO AFRESNEL SURFACE THAT FOCUSES IT. (SEE FIGURES 6A AND 6B).39) THE SYSTEMS DESCRIBED IN CLAIMS 1 AND 28 WHERE ANY OF THE VARIATIONSDESCRIBED IN FIGURES 9A THROUGH 9G MAY BE USED IN THE REFRACTIVEINTERFACES TO OPTIMALIZE OUTPUT. 40) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 THAT COLLIMATES THE LIGHT FROMREFRACTIVE FACETS USING REFLECTORS (SEE FIGURE 1 1 ), SAID COLLIMATEDLIGHT THEN SUITABLE FOR CONCENTRATION VIA A FRESNEL LENS. THE LIGHTTHUS COLLIMATED COULD ALSO BE USED FOR PASSIVE SKYLIGHTAPPLICATIONS.41 ) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 USING A VACUUM TO HOUSE THERECEPTOR (SEE FIGURE 7).42) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 USING A HEAT ENGINE SYSTEM IN WHICHA THERMAL GRADIENT COLLAR CONNECTS THE MAIN CYLINDER TO ASECOND CYLINDER, THUS USING THE WASTE HEAT AND INCREASING DELTAT OF THE MAIN CYLINDER AT THE SAME TIME. A MULTIPLICITY OF RECAPTUREENGINES COULD BE PLACED AROUND THE MAIN CYLINDER OR A THIRD LOWDELTA T ENGINE COULD BE ATTACHED TO THE FIRST RECAPTURE ENGINE.43) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 28 WHERE A STEAM ENGINE IS CONNECTEDVIA A WATER JACKET TO THE MAIN CYLINDER OF THE PRIMARY STIRLINGENGINE. 44) A ONE LAYER POINT-FOCUS SYSTEM UTILIZING A DOMED REFRACTIVEINTERFACE WITH OR WITHOUT AUGMENTATION REFLECTORS, SAID DOMEDREFRACTIVE INTERFACE MAKING USE OF SHARPLY POINTED PROJECTIONSOF HIGH INDEX AIMING AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE TOWARD THE FOCUS.SAID POINTED PROJECTIONS MAY TAKE ON ANY CHARACTERISTICSMENTIONED PREVIOUSLY FOR POINTED PROJECTIONS (HIGHER INDECIESNEAR THE TIPS, STRAIGHT OR CURVED TAPERS, ETC.). THE INPUTS MAY BEHEXAGONAL, SQUARE, TRIANGULAR OR CIRCULAR, DEPENDING ON THEEMBODIMENT. REFLECTIVE SECONDARY OPTICS WILL CONDENSE THE LIGHTTO A POINT FOCUS ZONE. SEE FIGURES 10A THROUGH 10H.45) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 44 USED WITH A LIGHT PIPE FOR PASSIVELIGHTING APPLICATIONS.46) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 44 USED WITH A PHOTOVOLTAIC RECEPTORTO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY.47) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 44 USED TO PIPE LIGHT TO A PRE-HEATINGTANK FOR DOMESTIC WATER HEATING.48) THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED IN CLAIM 44 USED WITH A BLACK METAL RECEPTORFILLED WITH A CIRCULATING FLUID, SUCH AS FOR WATER HEATING. 49) A TWO SIDED REFLECTOR THAT CAN MOVE ONCE PER DAY (BASED ON ASEMICONDUCTOR EMERGING FROM A SHADOW) OR ON DEMAND, FORPURPOSES OF EAST/WEST AUGMENTATION. SEE FIGURE 12. IF MOVED ONDEMAND, IT MIGHT BE USED TO AUGMENT THE OUTPUT OF A SOLARELECTRIC BOAT.50) AN AIR CONDITIONER THAT MAKES USE OF HEAT OFVAPORIZATION ON THE WARM SIDE OF THE COMPRESSION CIRCUIT.SEE FIGURE 13. THE CHIEF ADVANTAGE OVER PRIOR "SWAMP COOLER"ART IS THE LONG CHANNEL CONTAINING THE FIN TUBE OR COIL, WHICH THUSGREATLY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF WATER NEEDED. ANOTHER PROTECTABLEFEATURE IS THE FLOAT VALVE, SIMILAR TO THAT IN A TOILET. ANOTHERADVANTAGE OVER THE PRIOR ART IS THE SPECIFIC USE OF HEAT OFVAPORIZATION WHERE IT DOES THE MOST GOOD, ON THE WARM SIDE OFTHE COMPRESSION CIRCUIT. 51 ) A PROCESS SERIES FOR PRODUCING ANYTHING WITH FINE PROJECTIONSTHAT MUST ULTIMATELY POINT TOWARD A FOCUS. SEE FIGURE 10H.THE ORIGINAL INJECTION MOLD IS CREATED WITH THE PROJECTIONSPOINTING STRAIGHT, SO THAT THEY CAN BE PULLED FROM THE MOLD.THE PIECE WHICH IS PULLED FROM THE MOLD IS THEN VACUFORMEDINTO AN ARCH OR DOME SHAPE, THE TIPS OF THE FINE PROJECTIONSPROTECTED FROM DEFORMING BY A COOLING FLUID, SUCH AS WATER.52) AN GRID CONSISTING OF HIGH INDEX OPTICAL FACETS THAT TAPER ANDTHUS CONCENTRATE THE INCOMING LIGHT (UNTIL SAID LIGHT REACHESA CRITICAL ANGLE). THE SIDE WALLS MAY BE SILVERED AND THE TOPSURFACE MAY BE DOMED OR SOME OTHER CONVEX SHAPE, THUSREFRACTING THE INCOMING RAYS MORE TOWARD THE FOCUS. THEFACETS SHOWN HAVE HEXAGONAL INPUTS, ALTHOUTH THE SPECIFICSHAPE OF THE INPUTS MAY BE CIRCULAR, SQUARE OR SOME OTHER CONTOUR.THE CORRESPONDING SEMICONDUCTOR GRID FITS DIRECTLY OVER THEBOπOM SURFACES OF THE HIGH INDEX REFRACTIVE FACETS AND CAN BEMOUNTED DIRECTLY ON A CORRESPONDING CONDUCTIVE METALLIC GRID.THIN WIRES CAN EASILY BE PATTERNED TO FIT RAPIDLY OVER THE TOP SURFACESOF THE SEMICONDUCTORS (WHICH ARE LINED UP ANYWAY) SO THAT THEENTIRE SYSTEM CAN BE MASS-PRODUCED IN A FEW RAPID STEPS. UGHT FROMCHEAP REFLECTORS COULD BE ACCEPTED. SEE FIGURE 15. 53) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE CONVEX TOPOF THE REFRACTIVE FACETS CURVES UNIFORMLY, SUCH AS IN A DOME.54) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE CONVEX TOPCURVES ASYMMETRICALLY.55) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE TOP PROJECTS TOA POINT, SUCH AS A PYRAMID SHAPE.56) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH A HIGH INDEXSUBSTANCE, SUCH AS A CLEAR OIL, FILLS THE FACETS.57) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE SIDE WALLSOF THE REFRACTIVE FACETS TAPER IN A STRAIGHT LINE TOWARD THE FOCUS.58) THE GRID CONCETRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE SIDE WALLSOF THE REFRACTIVE FACETS TAPER IN A CURVED MANNER.59) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE INDEX OFREFRACTION IS UNIFORMLY HIGH.60) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE INDEX OFREFRACTION IS GRADED, INCREASING CLOSER TO THE FOCUS.61 ) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH THE INDEX OFREFRACTION IS GRADED, THE HIGHEST INDEX NEAR THE CENTER OF THEFACET.62) THE GRID CONCENTRATOR FROM CLAIM 52 IN WHICH POLYGONAL SHAPESARE USED ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE FACETS. 3) A SYSTEM OF COMPONENTS BY WHICH ELECTROLYTIC GASES (HYDROGENAND OXYGEN) ARE EASILY FED FROM ELECTRICAL STORAGE SYSTEMS TOCOMBUSTION ENGINES, FUEL CELLS, STOVES OR BOILERS - - SAIDELECTROLYTIC GASES REQUIRING NO SPECIAL TANK (THE ENERGY IS STOREDAS ELECTRICITY AND RELEASED ON DEMAND). SEE FIGURE 14.SUCH AS SYSTEM WOULD BE EASY TO RETROFIT TO AN EXISTING INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE, SUCH AS FROM A CAR, AND COULD USE VARIOUSFORMS OF ELECTRICAL INPUT, SUCH AS FROM SOLAR OR GENERATORSCOUPLED TO THE BRAKING MECHANISMS. AMENDED CLAIMS[received by the International Bureau on 15 July 1999 (15.07.99); original claims 1-63 replaced by amended claims bearing numbers 1-37 (5 pages)]

1. A .solar collector comprising a set of convergent tapering projections of a high refractive index bounded by a wall and extending along an axis into a region of lower refractive index, each convergent tapering projection comprising a main refractive interface disposed intersecting the axis and being adapted for wide angle reception of solar radiation into a respective convergent tapering projection, each convergent tapering projeeiiυn being adapted to totally internally reflect at least a portion υf the solar radiation received through the main refractive interface, and allowing at least a portion υf the internally reflected solar radiation to exit Lhrough Lhe wall from the convergent tapering projection inlo the region of lower refractive index.

2. The solar collector according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the solar radiation received through the main refractive interface over a range of aperture angles with respect to the axis is generally directed toward a focus along the axis.

3. The solar collector according 10 any of claims 1 and 2, wherein each convergent tapering projection is configured such that at a wide angle of solar radiation incidence, a portion of solar radiation received Lhrough the main refractive interface undergoes at least two successive internal reflections, each successive reflection having a monotonically increasing angle of incidence on the wall until a critical angle is reached, whereupon the solar radiation exits the convergent tapering projection through the wall al a smaller angle with respect to the axis than the wide angle of incidence.

4. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein incident solar radiation varies in angle with respect to the axis over a range during the course of a day, and on average over the course of a day, an average exit spread of solar radiation exiting through the wall of the convergent tapering projection is smaller than the range of incident angles υf solar radiation.

5. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the projections are optimized so that solar radiation incident on the main refractive interface generally parallel to the axis exits through the wall of the convergent tapering portions with minimal deviation and solar radiation not generally parallel to the axis exits through the wall of rhe projections after a minimum number of internal reflections at or near a critical angle according to Snell's law.

6. The solar collector according to any of claim 1 to 5, wherein the main refractive interfaces of the projections are disposed along a convex surface.

7. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the main refractive interfaces of the projections are disposed in a planar configuration, and at least two of the set of projections direct solar radiation toward a common focus.

8. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein a surface of a respective main refractive interface receiving external solar radiation is convex.

9. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an augmentation reflector adapted and situated to reflect solar radiation not directly incident on the main refractive interface onto the main refractive interface.

10. The solar collector according to claim 9, wherein the augmentation refleclor comprises a nonplanar reflection surface.

11. The solar collector according to any of claims 9 and 10, wherein lhe augmentation refleclor is selectively situated with respect to the main refractive interface in dependence on a latitude.

12. The solar collector according to any of claims 9 to 1 1, wherein the augmentation reflector is optimized for maximum net dawn to dusk output of solar energy around a focus of the projections.

13. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 12, further comprising a secondary refleclor disposed in a path υf a portion of solar radiation passing through the wall of a respective convergent tapering projection, reflecting the portion of solar radiation toward a focus.

14. The solar collector according to claim 13, wherein the secondary reflector reflects the portion of solar radiation to increase a solar radiation concentration at the focus.

15. The solar collector according to any of claims 13 and 14, wherein the secondary reflector has a refractive or diffractive surface property.

16. The solar collector accυrding to any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the wall of a respective convergent tapering projection has a nonlinear taper.

17. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein a respective convergent tapering projection has a sharp tip.

18. The solar collector according to any of claims I to 16, wherein a respective convergent tapering projection resembles a prism which tapers to a sharp edge.

19. The solar collector according tυ any of claims 1 to 16, wherein a respective convergent. tapering projection has a tip comprising a pattern of ulirastructural elements adapted to resist light trapping.

20. The solar collector according to any of claims I to 19, wherein the region of lower refractive index comprises an air space.

21. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 lυ 20, wherein the high refractive index is greater than about 1.5.

22. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 21, wherein the high refractive index is greater than about 1.7,

23. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 22, wherein the projections comprise a high refractive index which spatially varies.

24. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 23, wherein the projections comprise a refractive material having a graded index of refraction increasing with increasing distance from the main refractive interface.

25. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 24, wherein the main refractive interfaces of the set of projections are disposed in a regular patteπi of polygons or circles forming a surface.

26. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 25, wherein the main refractive interfaces of the set of projections arc disposed as a set υf closely packed tiled segments forming a surface.

27. The solar collector according lυ any of claims 1 to 26, wherein the set of projections comprise a liquid having a high index of refraction.

28. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 27, further comprising means for tracking a solar movement.

29. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 28, further comprising a secondary refractive interface disposed in a path of the solar radiation passing through the wall, for concentrating the solar radiation.

30. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 29. further comprising a second set of second convergent lapering projections of a high refractive index bounded by a second wall and extending along a second axis into a region of lower refractive index, each second convergent tapering projection comprising a secondary refractive interface disposed intersecting the second axis and being adapted for wide angle reception of solar radiation into a respective second convergent tapering projection, each second convergent tapering projection being adapted to totally internally reflect at least a portion of the solar radiation received through the secondary refractive interface, and allowing at least a portion of the internally reflected solar radiation to exit through the second wall from the second convergent tapering projection into the region of lower refractive index, wherein the set of convergent tapering projections and second set of convergent tapering projections are each unisυlropic. and wherein the respective aπisotropic axes of the set of convergent tapering projections and second set of convergent tapering projections are crossed.

31. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 30, further comprising a photorcccptor selected from the group consisting of a photovoltaic transducer, a photolhermal transducer, a thermomechanical transducer, a light pipe and a photolytic gas conversion system.

32. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 31 , wherein the set of projections have a plurality of foci, further comprising a separate solar receptor at each foci disposed in a sparse array.

33. The solar collector according to any of claims 30 and 31 , wherein the photoreceptor comprises a photohydrolytic generator for converting solar radiation into hydrolytic gasscs.

34. The solar collector according to any of claims 30 and 31. wherein the solar receptor comprises a Stirling cycle engine having a steam jacket feeding a steam turbine to dissipate waste heat from the Stirling cycle engine.

35. The solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 29, further comprising a conical reflector, having an inner reflective surface disposed in a path of solar radiation exiting the set of projections, and an outer reflective surface disposed in a path of an artificial illumination source.

36. A method of forming the set of projections of the solar collector according to any υf claims 1 to 35, comprising the steps of molding the set of projections as a planar sheet and vacuum forming the planar sheet to provide at least one non-planar portion thereof.

37. A method for using the solar collector according to any of claims 1 to 29, comprising the steps of:

(a) illuminating the set of convergent tapering projections with solar radiation:

(b) reflecting at least a portion of the solar radiation internally to the convergent tapering projections at. a refractive interface: and

(c) allowing at least a portion of the internally reflected solar radiation to exit through the wall.