| A satellite dish is designed with a parabolic curve to it's | | | | We got a satellite dish from one of our neighbors. It is |
| surface to reflect energy back to a focal point, | | | | a metal mesh type dish so we have covered it with 4 |
| increasing the signal strength. This same concept can | | | | oz fiberglass. We will have to add a second layer as |
| be used to reflect solar power back to a solar panel, | | | | the dish is still porous. We will then paint the dish with a |
| generating more current with the same number of | | | | sub layer coat to prepare it for a top layer of silver |
| solar cells. If we use a satellite dish that has a diameter | | | | paint. |
| of 9 feet or an area of 6362 square inches and an 81 | | | | The dish had one motor controller on the bracket that |
| square inch or 9" x 9" solar panel, this is a | | | | attached the dish to the top of the 3.5 inch by 13 foot |
| concentration factor of 77.5 times the energy. | | | | tower pole. This controller moves the dish in an up or |
| How to build photovoltaic cells that can absorb this | | | | down vertical direction only. We will modify this bracket |
| increased solar energy requires both thermal control | | | | to move the dish in a horizontal direction and add a |
| and heavy duty conductors to reduce the panel | | | | second controller motor. We need to design and build |
| temperature and the power losses. The solar cells are | | | | a motor controller to control both of these motors. |
| only about 15% efficient so there is a lot of heat to | | | | We dug a 5 foot diameter hole by 5 foot deep. We |
| control and if the cells produce 0.5 amps nominally then | | | | placed a 14 inch diameter by 4 foot long cardboard |
| at 77.5 times they will generate close to 40 amps per | | | | tube in the center of the hole and buried 200 feet of 1 |
| cell. 14 volts times 40 amps equals 560 watts. We plan | | | | 2 inch plastic heater hose for driveways. We made |
| on attaching either a heat sink or a water cooled | | | | about 3 turns of the hose at the bottom of the hole |
| radiator on the back of the panel. | | | | and covered that with about 6 inches of dirt then |
| We have a couple of design ideas on how to make | | | | made another 3 turns of hose and again covered this |
| photovoltaic panels by soldering heavy duty | | | | with another 6 inches of dirt. We were able to get all |
| conductors on to the cells, then connecting them | | | | 200 feet of hose buried with about 10 inches left to the |
| together into a string of either 27 or 28 cells to | | | | top at ground level. Both ends of the hose are |
| generate a voltage of 13.5 to 15.4 volts DC | | | | available at the top of the hole to attach a pump to |
| The cost of this Solar Power Concentrator should be | | | | recirculate water or coolant for a radiator. |
| much less than a conventional solar collector to | | | | We also got a 3.5 inch by 13 foot metal pole from our |
| generate the equivalent amount of electricity. | | | | neighbor. We placed this pole into the center of the 14 |
| Start with an old satellite dish that has a diameter of 9 | | | | inch diameter tube and placed an 1/8 inch by 10 inch |
| feet. Then modify this dish to reflect the sun's power | | | | diameter by 4 foot tall wire mesh around the pole into |
| back to the focal point and have a controller that | | | | the hole. We then filled this hole up with concrete |
| allows the dish to track the sun from morning until night. | | | | making sure the pole was straight up vertical with a |
| The solar panel will always be directed to receive the | | | | level. This will be the base for our Solar Power |
| maximum power from the sun. | | | | Concentrator. |