DIY Solar Tracking Parabolic Trough - Closeup

A full day time lapse (1 pic every 60 seconds) close up of one of the collectors in the array. Around mid day it clouded over and looked like rain. The tracker wanders a bit but locks on again when the sun returns. For more information: http://www.ffwdm.com/solar/solar-index.htm George Plhak

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• sun
• tracker
• tracking
• collector
• trough
• heater
• parabolic
• parabola
• DIY
• do it yourself
• homemade

[BeeRich33]

Hey great setup. Did you make those? Do you generate steam or hot water?

[georgeplhak]

Thank you - yes, I made these. There is lots more information for you at the link.

[wjj4832]

Very nice! Really neat rib design, like an aircraft rib.

What's the long piece of extruded metal that connects the ribs on their ends? Is this an off-the-shelf item or special made?

[georgeplhak]

Thank you. The metal that runs the length of the reflectors and which holds the ends of the ribs is cut from lengths of "furring strip" which is a type of galvanized steel channel used for commercial drywall construction. It has a very suitable profile for this purpose. It is also strong, lightweight, inexpensive and readily available, at least in North America.

[georgeplhak]

Plastic acrylic mirror, but you can use whatever is available to you. See the blog for more details.

[insAneTunA]

That's a great setup :-)

[wjj4832]

Thanks a bunch. Your design is by far the best I've seen, and I've looked at a lot. Very well thought-out, designed and built. The science behind the tracking mechanism is a bit over my head, but I plan to orient my trough parallel to the sun's arc rather than perpendicular, so I won't need a tracker; I just won't get the full benefit all day like you do.

[kheston]

George,

Thanks for responding. I had been searching with terms like "polished aluminum sheet" and "stainless sheet" but hadn't thought of that plastic stuff used in bedroom mirrors. Great idea!

[kheston]

What type of mirror are you using? Polished aluminum sheets?