From its inception nearly 30 years ago, the optical subdiscipline now referred to as nonimaging optics, has experienced dramatic growth. The term nonimaging optics is concerned with applications where imaging formation is not important but where effective and efficient collection , concentration, transport and distribution of light energy is - i.e. solar energy conversion, signal detection, illumination optics, measurement and testing. This book will incorporate the substantial developments of the past decade in this field. * Includes all substantial developments of the past decade in the rapidly moving field of nonimaging optics* The only authoritative reference on nonimaging optics, from the leader in the field

A detailed and comprehensive account of the engineering of the world’s first nonimaging Fresnel lens solar concentrator. The book closes a gap in solar concentrator design, and describes nonimaging refractive optics and its numerical mathematics. The book shows the reader how to find his or her own optical solution using the rules and methodologies covering the design and the assessment of the nonimaging lens.

This book provides a comprehensive look at the science, methods, designs, and limitations of nonimaging optics. It begins with an in-depth discussion on thermodynamically efficient optical designs and how they improve the performance and cost effectiveness of solar concentrating and illumination systems. It then moves into limits to concentration, imaging devices and their limitations, and the theory of furnaces and its applications to optical design. Numerous design methods are discussed in detail followed by chapters of estimating the performance of a nonimaging design and pushing their limits of concentration. Exercises and worked examples are included throughout.

This book brings together experts in the field who present material on a number of important and growing topics including lighting, displays, solar concentrators. The first chapter provides an overview of the field of nonimagin and illumination optics. Included in this chapter are terminology, units, definitions, and descriptions of the optical components used in illumination systems. The next two chapters provide material within the theoretical domain, including etendue, etendue squeezing, and the skew invariant. The remaining chapters focus on growing applications. This entire field of nonimaging optics is an evolving field, and the editor plans to update the technological progress every two to three years. The editor, John Koshel, is one of the most prominent leading experts in this field, and he is the right expert to perform the task.

High Collection Nonimaging Optics covers the many developments and the wider range of applications of nonimaging optics. This book is organized into 11 chapters that emphasize the application of nonimaging optics to concentrators for solar energy. This text begins with discussions on the development of formalisms in nonimaging optics, specifically in the use of geometrical vector flux concept, which have led to entirely different concentrator designs. These topics are followed by a description of the so-called compound parabolic concentrator, the prototype of a series of nonimaging concentrators that approach very close to being ideal and having the maximum theoretical concentration ratio. The next chapters examine the concept of the flow line approach to nonimaging concentration; the geometrical optics model of nonimaging optics; and constructional tolerances and manufacturing methods for nonimaging optical components. A chapter highlights the applications of concentrator designs to solar energy concentrations. The last chapter surveys the applications of nonimaging optics to optical system design and to instrument design, with particular reference to utilization of light sources with maximum efficiency. This book will be of great benefit to nonimaging optics scientists and design engineers.

The world's insatiable consumption of energy must be met with new technologies that offer alternative, environmentally conscious sources of light and power. The relatively young field of nonimaging optics is an ideal tool for designing optimized solar energy collectors and illumination optics and holds great promise in the development of solid stat