Tracker-less Sunlight Collection Apparatus, using an Array of Optical Cones

Abstract

The paper describes an array of optical cones as a potential configuration for tracker-less daylighting, without using an electro-mechanical tracker. Subsequently, a single optical cone is analyzed, mainly in terms of sunlight collection efficiency and acceptance angle, as a function of the cone's geometrical dimensions. The cones were fabricated and illuminated, with the results compared with those of the theoretical analysis. We then consider the feasibility of a cone array as a sunlight collector, for low light intensity daylighting applications, particularly in the context of indoor plant growing.

Keywords

• daylighting
• indoor plant growing
• non-imaging optics
• optical cones