A solar concentrating collector includes corrugated board parabolic
support segments with flexible strips and side tabs over the cut edge to
support a laminate with reflective coated film. The reflector assembly
has supporting arms and pivots about a heat absorbing conduit secured to
vertical extensions of adjacent stationary posts. Selected external
surfaces are weatherproofed. The conduit includes vacuum insulators and
means to isolate conduit from insulator expansion. Upper arms support
pulleys and cable take-ups for continuous collector position changes.
Cross members of the extended post secure the fixed conduit, and at a
higher level, a programmable drive to rotate two cable capstans for
cables that pivot two adjacent reflector assemblies. Other embodiments
include triangular or square fluid conduits with planar surfaces for
photovoltaic cells and a modified reflective surface to disperse solar
rays into a band of reflected sunlight directed to photocell areas.