WO2009095433A1

WO2009095433A1 - Support structure for solar plants

Info

Publication number: WO2009095433A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/050990
Authority: WO
Inventors: Riccardo Lucatello
Original assignee: Reflex SpA
Current assignee: Reflex SpA
Priority date: 2008-01-30
Filing date: 2009-01-29
Publication date: 2009-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 2010-07-30
Also published as: ITUD20080016A1

Abstract

A support structure, defining a substantially parabolic support section, for concentration type solar plants, is able to support a plurality of thin and flexible reflective panels (12), able to reflect the solar rays in order to concentrate them in correspondence with collectors so as to exploit the solar energy, and comprises clamping elements (13), able to clamp the reflective panels (12) on the support structure. The clamping elements (13) comprise mobile elements (15a) able to be moved from a first position, in which the reflective panels (12) are able to be associated with/removed from the support structure, to a second position, in which the mobile elements (15a) deform the reflective panels (12), conforming them substantially to the curvature of the section of the support structure, and clamp the reflective panels (12) in a deformed position against the support structure, and vice versa.

Description

"SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SOLAR PLANTS"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a support structure for solar plants. In particular, the support structure according to the invention is used in solar plants of the concentration type in order to support a plurality of reflective panels able to concentrate solar rays into suitable collectors, in order to exploit solar energy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In solar plants of the concentration type, the use of curved support structures is known, to support a plurality of reflective panels made of tempered glass, thin and flexible, able to reflect solar rays so as to concentrate them into suitable collectors, advantageously present on the same structure, in order to exploit the solar energy. The reflective panels are associated, in flat or previously curved shape, with the support structure by means of adhesives of a known type. Therefore, due to the action of the adhesives and to their own thinness, the reflective panels conform to the curve of the support structure.

One disadvantage of known support structures is that they require laborious operations in order to install the relative reflective panels.

Another disadvantage of known support structures is that they do not always allow an optimum attachment of the reflective panels to their surface, and, furthermore, they do not allow an easy removal of the reflective panels in the event of damage thereto, so that maintenance and replacement operations are complex, resulting in high costs and requiring long periods of time.

In the case of pre-curved panels, they do not allow any kind of modification to their morphology, even after they have been assembled, in order to adapt to the specific geometrical conditions of the overall structure to concentrate the radiant energy. Purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support structure for solar plants that allows a simple installation and an optimum attachment of the reflective panels, and that also allows simple and rapid maintenance and replacement operations thereof. Another purpose is to allow to make adjustments, even after assembly, so as to improve and/or modify the capacity of concentrating the radiant energy.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the above purpose, a support structure according to the present invention, defining a substantially parabolic support profile, is able to be used in concentration type solar plants in order to support a plurality of reflective panels, thin and flexible, suitably conformed during use like a parabola, able to reflect the solar rays in order to concentrate them in correspondence with collectors in order to exploit the solar energy, advantageously present on the support structure. The support structure comprises clamping means able to clamp the reflective panels on the support structure and to conform them according to a desired parabolic shape.

According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the clamping means are provided with mobile means able to be moved from a first position, in which the reflective panels, originally substantially flat, are associated with/removed from the support structure, to a second position, in which the mobile means deform the flat reflective panels, conforming them substantially to the curve of the profile defined by the support structure, and clamp the reflective panels in a deformed position against said support structure, and vice versa.

According to a variant of the present invention, the mobile means, in said second position, exert compression forces on the reflective panels so as to deform them.

According to another variant of the present invention, the support structure comprises adjustment means, cooperating with said mobile means, able to vary the intensity of said compression forces so as to vary the curvature of said reflective panels, even after the first assembly.

Advantageously, in said first position the mobile means are disposed so as to facilitate assembly /removal operations of the panels onto/from the structure for the workers.

The support structure according to the present invention allows to conform the flexible panels, originally flat, to the curvature of the support structure and to keep them in the deformed position, acting quickly and easily on the mobile means, simply taking them from said first position to said second position.

Therefore, the flexible panels do not have to be bent in advance so as to be disposed on the support structure, nor do they need glues or suchlike in order to attach them to the structure. Furthermore, the use of adjustment means in cooperation with the mobile means allows to vary the intensity of the compression forces exerted by the mobile means to curve the reflective panels. In this way the curvature of the reflective panels is also varied as a consequence, and it is therefore possible to obtain a predetermined and optimum curvature of the reflective panels in order to convey the solar rays in correspondence with a predetermined zone of the structure, advantageously coinciding substantially with the zone where the collectors to exploitthe solar energy are disposed.

In this way, the reflective panels are able to be associated with and/or extracted from the support structure with great ease, allowing simple and easy installation and maintenance operations.

According to another variant of the present invention, the clamping means also comprise gripping means, advantageously packings, in order to facilitate the association of the panels with the support structure and also to prevent any damage thereto during installation/extraction operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- fig. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a support structure according to the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a detail of a first form of embodiment of the support structure in fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a detail of the support structure in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 is a detail of a second form of embodiment of the support structure in fig. - A -

1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF

EMBODIMENT

With reference to figs. 1 and 3, a support structure 10 according to the present invention is able to be used in concentration type solar plants, and comprises a support surface 11, able to support a plurality of reflective panels 12, thin and flexible, suitable to reflect the solar rays and to concentrate them in correspondence with collectors, present on the support structure 10 and not shown in the drawings, in order to exploit the solar energy. The support surface 1 1 is shaped so as to define a substantially parabolic profile, and is provided along two opposing edges with sections 13, in this specific case substantially L shaped.

In a first form of embodiment (fig. 2), the support surface 11 is provided with sections 13, at least one of which consists of a single mobile element 15a, shaped so as to define, at one end thereof, a first substantially U shaped attachment element 18. The mobile element 15a is connected to the support surface 11 by means of a spring 16, fixed, at a first end, to said first attachment element 18, and at the end opposite said first end, to a second attachment element 19, of the known type, for example of the lever type, solid with the support surface 11. The mobile element 15a defines with the support surface 11 a peripheral channel 20 whose thickness is substantially equal to the thickness of a reflective panel 12.

The mobile element 15a is able to be moved from a first release position to a return position, and vice versa.

In correspondence with the release position, the reflective panels 12 are able both to be associated with the support surface 11, for example by insertion, and also to be removed therefrom.

In correspondence with the return position, instead, the mobile element 15a clamps the reflective panels 12 on the support surface 11, guaranteeing an optimum attachment thereof. In the release position the spring 16 extends due to the pressure exerted by the reflective panel 12, a portion of which is inserted into the peripheral channel 20, on the mobile element 15a, so as to perform the association thereof with the support surface 11. The panels 12 are advantageously associated in their flat form with the support structure 10.

In the return position, once the reflective panel 12 has been associated, the spring 16 is compressed and the mobile element 15a compresses the reflective panel 12 against the section 13 without the mobile element 15a, deforming it so as to conform it substantially to the curvature defined by the support structure. The force exerted by the mobile element 15a is stronger than the force exerted by the weight of the reflective panel 12, which guarantees an optimum attachment and grip of the reflective panel 12 on the support surface 11, which is therefore clamped in the deformed position. Advantageously, the sections 13 are provided, internally, with packings, not shown in the drawings, in order to facilitate the association of the panels 12 with the support surface and also prevent them from being damaged during installation/extraction operations.

In a second form of embodiment (fig. 4), the support surface is provided with sections 13, each of which consists of a single fixed element 15, solid with the support surface 11. The fixed elements 15 define two peripheral channels 20, in correspondence with at least one of which a mobile element 15a is disposed, comprising a spring 16 able to support a plate 17, able to cooperate with the reflective panel 12. The mobile element 15a is able to be moved from a return position to a release position, and vice versa. In this second form of embodiment, in the return position the spring 16 is compressed following the pressure exerted on the plate 17 by the reflective panel 12, in order to effect the association of the panel 12 with the support surface 11. In the release position, when the reflective panel 12 has been associated, the spring 16 extends, compressing the reflective panel 12, deforming it so as to conform it to the curvature of the support structure 11 and clamping it in the deformed position against the section 13 not provided with the mobile element 15a. In both the above forms of embodiment it is possible to provide the use of adjustment means, of a known type and not shown in the drawings, which act for example on the spring 16 of the mobile element 15a in order to vary the elastic properties thereof and therefore to vary the intensity of the compression forces acting on the reflective panel 12. This consequently allows to vary the curvature of the reflective panel 12, and thus to obtain a predefined and optimum curvature of the panel 12 to convey the solar rays into correspondence with the collectors.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the support structure for solar plants as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

For example, it comes within the field and scope of the present invention to provide to use, instead of the spring 16, any absorbing material and/or element whatsoever, having predefined elastic properties. It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of support structure for solar plants, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Support structure, defining a substantially parabolic support section, for concentration type solar plants, able to support a plurality of thin and flexible reflective panels (12), able to reflect the solar rays in order to concentrate them in correspondence with collectors so as to exploit the solar energy, and comprising clamping means (13), able to clamp said reflective panels (12) on said support structure, characterized in that said clamping means (13) comprise mobile means (15a) able to be moved from a first position, in which said reflective panels (12), originally substantially flat, are able to be associated with/removed from said support structure, to a second position, in which said mobile means (15a) deform said reflective panels (12), conforming them substantially to the curvature of the section defined by the support structure, and clamp said reflective panels (12) in a deformed position against said support structure, and vice versa.

2. Support structure as in claim 1, characterized in that said mobile means (15a), in said second position, exert compression forces on said reflective panels (12) in order to deform said reflective panels (12).

3. Support structure as in claim 2, characterized in that it comprises adjustment means that cooperate with said mobile means (15a), able to vary the intensity of said compression forces so as to vary the curvature of said reflective panels (12).

4. Support structure as in claim 1, characterized in that said mobile means (15a) are connected to said support structure by elastic means (16).

5. Support structure as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said clamping means comprise sections (13).

6. Support structure as in claim 5, characterized in that said sections (13) are shaped so as to define a substantially L shaped profile.

7. Support structure as in claim 5, characterized in that each of said sections (13) defines a peripheral channel (20).

8. Support structure as in claim 7, characterized in that a portion of said reflective panels (12) is able to be disposed in said peripheral channel (20).

9. Support structure as in claim 4, characterized in that in said first position said elastic means (16) extend due to the pressure exerted by said reflective panels (12) on said mobile means (15a).

10. Support structure as in claim 9, characterized in that in said second position said mobile means (15a) exert a compression force on said reflective panels (12).

11. Support structure as in claim 4, characterized in that in said first position said elastic means (16) are compressed following the pressure exerted by said reflective panels (12) on said mobile means (15a).

12. Support structure as in claim 11, characterized in that in said second position said mobile means (15a) are extended, exerting a compression force on said reflective panels (12).

13. Support structure as in claim 10 or 12, characterized in that the force exerted by said mobile means (15a) is stronger than the force exerted by the weight of said reflective panels (12).

14. Support structure as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said clamping means (13) are provided with gripping means.