Solar catenary reflector vid 2: asymmetrical design

Be sure to visit my website for details of the concept:
http://thoxbui.com/catenaryreflector/
This is part 2, detailing the asymmetrical reflector design. It's a self forming, self tracking solar concentrator system. The model is built with lego and aluminized mylar. Imagine it a hundred times bigger. Sorry for the low (no) budget production, but I hope you can see the value in the idea. Drop me an email if you want more details or the mathematical model--it's an Excel based calculator.

I intend this idea to be...open-sourced, so do something good for mankind with it. If you're a nice person, please credit me when/where it's appropriate.

Thanks.
Tho X.Bui
Phoenix, AZ 2008

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar
• renewable
• energy
• catenary
• parabolic
• reflector
• concentrator
• trough
• photovoltaic
• thoxbui

[bjaygeek]

a search for catenary reflector came up with a program called R-Bench.  Have you used it? It allows for asymmetrical catenary curves.

[thoxbui]

Yes, it is written by B. Schaffhausen, I have an earlier version of it on my website. Very nice gentleman who took the time to write the cool calculator and distribute it for free!

[sockosockosocko]

hi tho

the laser demo is neat but as you move the laser up and down, the angle of light hitting the paper(or pv cell) changes drastically, right? how is this different from laying a pv panel on my roof all day? the sun will hit it all day but at different and less beneficial angles. angles of attack is not good, but intensity is greater?

THANKS for your videos!

[thoxbui]

Hi. This whole approach focuses on reducing cost, not foot-print. If the application is space or footprint limited, one needs to find the best efficiency possible. When available space is NOT an issue, by building an oversize collector cheaply, one can put out more power for a given investment in cash, knowing that not all of the available sun light is captured. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.

[pupplesan]

A compound parabolic reflector is the most efficient non-tracking two-dimensional shape. Your design of course has the virtue of 'self-formation', but the laser demonstration isn't helpful because you are aiming the incident beam at a single point on the mirror surface. With sunlight falling over the entire surface, the focus will blur far more destructively as the sun recedes from the focal axis.

[thoxbui]

Thanks for your comment. This is just a demonstration video to generalize on the concept. If you're really interested in understanding the behavior of this reflector, you are welcomed to visit the website for more information, and/or contact me for the actual mathematical calculations.

[ke4uyp]

The major mechanical problem with this design is to obtain maximum efficiency the mirror must be oriented to the same angle above the horizon equal to your latitude.

Another words the mirror must point at the celestial Equator. Unfortunately this will distort the natural gravity produced curve.

[macrumpton]

This is an interesting concept but unless I am misunderstanding you, most of the reflector (in this asymmetric configuration) is not concentrating. The interesting part of your idea is that you could make a solar collector that is very portable. Mylar with a few poles taped to it would work easily, and it could be rolled up for transport.

By adding poles of different weights on different parts of the curve you could still have the angled reflector, but the weights would correct the asymmetry.

[gaiatechnician]

I have a new video about the "kyoto trough" where I add little wings to a trough to get more concentration. I have only done it in software so far and it works. Perhaps it works with your catenary too?

Brian

[seancap08]

Beautiful. This has endless applications and is easily combined with the parabolic and trough methods.

Thank you. Heat your house or run pressure differentials for nuthin.

[olkids3a]

very smart,i hope and pray for your success.please share your creation with some less fortunate countries.are you asian?we are from the philippines.good luck.

[WellSpamSucks]

Very interesting!!!

[danboarder]

Great ideas, thanks for sharing!