Electromagnetic Radiation Collector
An electromagnetic radiation collector is provided. The electromagnetic radiation collector has a concentration chamber for collecting and concentrating electromagnetic radiation and directing it to a target, the concentration chamber having at least one inlet opening, the inlet opening having a cross-sectional area. The collector also has a channeling area having an entry end for receiving the electromagnetic radiation, the entry end having a cross-sectional area, an exit end adjacent to the inlet opening of the concentration chamber, and at least one reflective wall between the entry end and the exit end. The cross-sectional area of the inlet opening is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the entry end of the channeling area.
1 . An electromagnetic radiation collector, comprising:
a concentration chamber for collecting and concentrating electromagnetic radiation and directing it to a target, the concentration chamber having at least one inlet opening, the inlet opening having a cross-sectional area; and
a channeling area having
an entry end for receiving the electromagnetic radiation, the entry end having a cross-sectional area,
an exit end adjacent to the inlet opening of the concentration chamber, and
at least one reflective wall between the entry end and the exit end,
wherein the cross-sectional area of the inlet opening is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the entry end of the channeling area.
2 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the concentration chamber has a top and a bottom that are not parallel to each other.
3 . The collector of claim 2 , wherein the concentration chamber is for directing the collected and concentrated electromagnetic radiation in the direction of the diverging ends of the top and bottom.
4 . The collector of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the channeling areas.
5 . The collector of claim 4 , wherein the entry ends of the plurality of channeling areas are adjacent to each other and the exit ends of the plurality of channeling areas are adjacent to each other.
6 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area is formed by a first surface for reflecting the electromagnetic radiation, and a second surface opposite the first surface.
7 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein
the entry end has a central axis along a first direction, and the cross-sectional area of the entry end is perpendicular to the first direction, and
the exit end has a central axis along a second direction, and a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the second direction,
the cross-sectional area of the entry end is larger than the cross-sectional area of the exit end, and
the second direction is not parallel to the first direction.
8 . The collector of claim 7 , wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
9 . The collector of claim 1 , further comprising a target positioned adjacent to the exit end of the concentration chamber, the target being positioned to receive the electromagnetic radiation.
10 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area is a solid element.
11 . The collector of claim 9 , wherein an outside surface of the solid element is coated with a coating that is adapted to reflect the electromagnetic radiation.
12 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area is a tube, the entry end being an opening of the tube, and the exit end being an opening of the tube.
13 . The collector of claim 12 , wherein at least one of an inside surface of the tube and an outside surface of the tube is coated with a coating that is adapted to reflect the electromagnetic radiation inside the tube.
14 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area has a circular cross-section.
15 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area has a rectangular cross-section.
16 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area has a square cross-section.
17 . The collector of claim 2 , wherein the entry ends of the channeling areas are staggered relative to each other.
18 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the channeling area has a length from the entry end to the exit end, and the entry end has a maximum width,
the length of the channeling area being between 2 and 1000 times as large as the maximum width of the entry end.
19 . The collector of claim 18 , wherein the length of the channeling area is between 5 and 100 times as large as the maximum width of the entry end.
20 . The collector of claim 19 , wherein the length of the channeling area is between 10 and 50 times as large as the maximum width of the entry end.
21 . The collector of claim 1 , further comprising a flap protruding into the concentration chamber adjacent to the inlet opening, the flap being for directing at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation toward the target.
22 . The collector of claim 21 , wherein the reflective wall of the channeling area is parabolic and the focal point of the parabolic reflective wall is on one of the flaps.
23 . The collector of claim 1 , wherein the at least one reflective wall of the channeling area is parabolic and the focal point of the parabolic reflective wall is in the inlet opening of the concentration chamber.
24 . A method of collecting electromagnetic radiation, comprising:
channeling-electromagnetic radiation in a channeling area, the channeling area having an entry end for receiving the electromagnetic radiation, an exit end, and at least one reflective wall between the entry end and the exit end, the entry end having a cross-sectional area,
collecting and concentrating the electromagnetic radiation in a concentration chamber, the concentration chamber having at least one inlet opening adjacent the exit end of the channeling area, the inlet opening having a cross-sectional area; and
directing the collected and concentrated electromagnetic radiation to a target,
wherein the cross-sectional area of the inlet opening is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the entry end of the channeling area.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation is received by a plurality of the channeling areas.
26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the channeling area is solid.
27 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the channeling area is tubular, the entry end is an opening, and the exit end is an opening.
28 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least one reflective wall of the channeling area is parabolic.
29 . An electromagnetic radiation collector, comprising:
a tapering element having
an entry end for receiving electromagnetic radiation, the entry end having a central axis along a first direction, and a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the first direction;
an exit end having a central axis along a second direction, and a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the second direction; and
a wall connecting the entry end to the exit end, the wall being capable of channeling the electromagnetic radiation received by the entry end to the exit end,
wherein the cross-sectional area of the entry end is larger than the cross-sectional area of the exit end, and
the second direction is not parallel to the first direction.