Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Discuss ideas and construction techniques here.

Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby drowssap » Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:09 am

This project is a test bed for several tracking parabolic solar concentrators that I've had kicking around my head for the last couple of years. The first iteration will be a simple water heater, but after that I'd like to investigate different fluids, as well as using the fluid to cool a thin strip of PV cells, or driving a Stirling engine.

The final design will most likely use some kind of a belt driven design, but for the prototypes the MakerSlide seems like an easy and versatile solution

Sectioned View.JPG
Section view showing parabolic reflectors and MakerSlide


Top.JPG
Top View of Reflectors


Top.JPG
Top View of Reflectors
Attachments
Solar Heater Assembly 2.JPG
Close up on MakerSlide
drowssap
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby drowssap » Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:40 am

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what does a short video equate to??

drowssap
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby bdring » Thu Jun 23, 2011 4:07 pm

You might be able to flip the MakerSlide to fix the carriage and move the slide. That would eliminate the the extra part that links the mirrors.
Bart
"If you didn't build it, you will never own it."
bdring
Site Admin
 
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:33 pm
Location: Chicago, IL, USA

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby steves » Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:02 pm

A little off topic as it doesn't refer to the Makerslide, but when you actually build it be sure to leave enough space between the troughs so that they don't shade each other as the sun moves across the sky. As drawn, you'll be partially shading troughs during mid morning and late afternoon.

Steve
steves
 
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu May 19, 2011 1:15 pm

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby BenJackson » Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:45 pm

I think it would be a lot easier, smaller and cheaper to use a hobby servo instead. Even if you needed one per mirror.
BenJackson
 
Posts: 522
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:13 pm

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby MarcosWarner » Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:00 am

drowssap wrote:This project is a test bed for several tracking parabolic solar concentrators that I've had kicking around my head for the last couple of years. The first iteration will be a simple water heater, but after that I'd like to investigate different fluids, as well as using the fluid to cool a thin strip of peimar solar, or driving a Stirling engine.

The final design will most likely use some kind of a belt driven design, but for the prototypes the MakerSlide seems like an easy and versatile solution


Top.JPG


Top.JPG


Top.JPG

Pretty useful post..I would love to design similar heater and hope it works well.. Sorry for posting in old post but I will share my experience very soon
Last edited by MarcosWarner on Wed Nov 27, 2013 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MarcosWarner
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 6:03 am

Re: Parabolic Tracking Solar Water Heater

Postby bobt » Wed Nov 27, 2013 2:50 am

Here is a site that the fellow has written a book about how to build what you are looking for. Also he uses 1 hobby servo to move all of his trough's at one time.

http://georgesworkshop.blogspot.com/201 ... intro.html

Bob
"What Box"
bobt
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 5:11 pm


Return to Designs and Design Ideas

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests

cron