Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Patente - US4364532
Patente - US4364532
Patente - US4364532
[111
4,364,532
Stark
[45]
[54]
[75]
4,069,812
244/159
244/33
FLOATING STRU
4,184,895
126/438
4,185,826
Inventor:
[73] Assignee:
[21]
RES
[22] Filed:
[52]
Japan .
244/159
Field of Search ................... .. 244/159, 1 R, 53 R,
[56]
4/1978
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
[51]
[58]
References CIted
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3/1935
202/234
[57]
3,118,437
126/424
" 1221271
4,002,158
10/1976
Rush
.. .. . . . .. .. .
ABSTRACT
" 24451
227126/440
. . . ..
202/234
20)
1|
72>
Z3
25
24
US.
atent
Sheet 1 of 3
4,364,532
US. Patsnt
S h e et 2 Of 3
' IIIIIIIIIIIIII
US. Patent
Sheet 3 of 3
4,364,532
4,364,532
- 2
50
55
means and concentrator at high altitudes above the 65 used and, for times without sunshine, only the engine
earth.
fuel will be used. This will not only save fuel but also
By positioning the collector means at a high altitude
will reduce the storage space required for the fuel and
4,364,532
the speed of the plane, the length of the journey and the
moved for elevation tracking, for instance, in pairs on 20 electricity can be used both for an electric motor to
three sinusoidal rails pulled along a central sinusoidal
counter and oppose winds and also for the requirements
rail and supported by the two outside sinusoidal rails. A
of the transmission systems.
collector system will be provided having arrays of pho
In a further embodiment, the solar energy collector
apparatus can be used to produce electricity for a Satel
tovoltaic cells of, for instance, ?ve cm by ?ve cm (e.g.
48 cells per unit) which are inserted in transparent tubes 25 lite Solar Power Station (SSPS). A geostationary satel
lite would be constructed in space at about 36000 km in
to be cooled by low temperature outside air of, for
orbit and synchronized to the earth rotation so that
instance, 16 C. at an altitude of about 5200 meters.
The focal length will be about 100 cm or 150 cm with a
piloted microwave beam links could be maintained
high concentration of solar energy. The irradiation will
between the satellite and a ground station. The photo
be high at such altitude with practically no diffused
voltaic network with millions of cells of for instance 5
energy. At a direct irradiation assumed of about 1000
km X 10 km will be required to produce a typical power
watts per square meter per hour on a concentrating
plant of 5 GW (5 billion watts) reported as a minimum
economically feasible plant. Electricity will be con
surface of solar rays of 4.88 square meters (2 m>< 2.44 in)
verted into microwaves by millions of microwave gen
per unit, with an irradiation ef?ciency of 55% and a
conversion ef?ciency of 14% in the photovoltaic cells,
erator tubes. Part of the power released by the micro
the production of electricity per cell would be about 7
wave generators is used to condition and to match the
watts instead of a much lower production of electricity
output of the solar ray cell array to the input require
per cell as above without concentration. For 48 cells
ments of the microwave generators and to do it opti
mally without dissipating power. The microwaves gen
per unit, the production of electricity will be about 336
watts. This will require about 3 units to produce one 40 erated are transmitted to an antenna, of for instance, 1
km diameter. The microwaves are then directed with a
kilowatt per hour.
transmission frequency such as 2.45 GH (2.45 billion
Considering a focal distance of one meter, the dis
tance between the two sets of sinusoidal rails will be 3
Hertz) by a beam of about 1 km width to an earth bound
meters. The distance between the two frames pulled on
ground station of elliptical form (rectenna) of, for in
three rails will be about 5 meters allowing two arrays of 45 stance, 10 km>< 13 km. The microwaves would be con
of the 45 meters of the circumference could be covered 50 the focusing of the microwave beam.
The SSPS has the advantage of collecting the solar
by sets of units of 3 meters this will allow about 12 sets
energy day and night, i.e. about 1340 w/m2 during 8700
of arrays or the production of 378 kw (31.5 X 12) or 500
hours per year. However, the SSPS has environmental
HP (378 X 1.34 HP/kw).
problems. It is estimated that it will take 15 years and
The amount of electricity produced can be used by an
electric motor of about 500 horsepower, similar to the 55 many billions of dollars to realize a ?rst SSPS station.
The risks of use of the SSPS system include interference
engine used by an airplane or helicopter attached to the
4,364,532
' 6
4,364,532
frame along the rails 31, 32. The mounting of the frames
function as ballast. When the gas is discharged at a
28 on the rails 31, 32 permit tracking of the frames 28 in
accordance with the location of the sun during the day 20 receiving locations similar means such as around a
tower are provided allowing the discharge. This will
such that the solar rays are vertically incident at all
allow its descent at the receiving location by releasing
times on the central lens and re?ective blades. At the
only a small quantity of light gas. The small towing
end of the solar day, the cable 33 is used to return the
balloon may return empty to take another cargo thus
series of frames 28 to the initial morning position.
In order to move the cable 33, a suitable electrical 25
shown).
45
example.
4,364,532
4 10
provided.
Referring to FIG. 5, when the balloon power plant
taic cells;
at least one concentrator having a plurality of lenses
means is an airship.
high concentration, over 35 times, focus the solar en
ergy on arrays of photovoltaic cells inserted into trans
3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
parent tubes preferably inserted into another set of
means is at least one balloon.
transparent tubes through which water circulates for
4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
absorbing the concentrated infrared rays which pro 60 means is a satellite Solar Power Station (SSPS) located
duce heat. This will allow the concentrated ultraviolet
in the orbit and synchronized with the earths rotation.
and luminous rays of up to 0.8 microns in wavelength to
5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said
produce electricity without reduction because the heat
means is a Balloon Power Station (BPS) lifted and held
otherwise generated by the infrared rays is dissipated.
in the atmosphere at selected altitudes by at least 1 static
The above assemblies could be installed on ?oating 65 balloon.
means such as ships, including cargo ships, tankers,
6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 where said
barges or boats or structures between boats such as
balloon is held by at least one cable connected to the
earth.
catamarans, aircraft or similar. They could also be in
11
4,364,532
without sun.
ground.
24. The combination as set forth in claim 18 which
further comprises means to convert the electrical en
waves.
13. In combination,
a navigable balloon;
20
12
26. In combination,
a ?rst balloon adapted to be ?lled with a lighter than
air gas;
an apparatus mounted on said ?rst balloon for collect
photovoltaic cells;
means for moving at least said lenses along a sinuous
from; and
means connecting said second balloon to said ?rst
ond balloon.
tubes.
31. The combination as set forth in claim 26 wherein
said means for moving comprises sinusoidal rails on
4,364,532
13
14
concentrator
at an elevated_ position to permit cool
_
_
mg of sad cells by cool a; and
sidewings_
l0
15
20
25
35
45
50
55
65
CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
PATENT NO.
DATED
:
:
iNVENTOR(S) :
4,364,532
December 21, 1982
Virgil Stark
It is certi?ed that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent
is hereby corrected as shown below: 7
[SEAL]
Arrest:
GERALD]. MOSSINGHOFF
Anesn'ng Officer