I'm thinking about an array of mirrors, each perhaps 1 foot square (these
are sold at low cost for decorating in homes), all laying on a flat surface,
and each tilted at some angle so that sunlight shining on that mirror is
reflected back to a central point.

Yes, the angle may be somewhat more limited.

Yes, I'm talking about trading efficiency for ease of construction.

My contention is that for the cost of moving some number of mirror on
heliostats, you could build a field of unmoving mirrors some factor larger.

In the end, I believe the "efficiency with respect to cost" would be higher
than with moving mirrors. In other words, for X dollars, you could generate
more total power with non-moving mirrors and a moving target than with
moving mirrors and a non-moving target. The loss due to angle is offset by
the increased area of the mirror field.

The exceptions are probably due to a very high cost of moving the target.
Such as when there are high pressure or caustic materials involved.

I don't think very large, and therefore difficult to move targets count
against this idea because in most cases, the target could be split into many
smaller targets, each moveable.

---
James.
 
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
> [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Howard Winter
> Sent: 2005 Sep 23, Fri 13:32
> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> Subject: RE: [OT] Vegetable oil in a diesel engine... Was: 
> [EE] ROHS ~ lead free soldering - reality strikes.
> Importance: Low
> 
> James,
> 
> On Fri, 23 Sep 2005 13:13:19 -0700, James Newtons Massmind wrote:
> 
> >...<
> > I mean, why move the mirrors when you could move the target instead?
> 
> Because the Sun "moves" more than that - any given angle of 
> mirror would be completely out of sunshine for part of the 
> day, and at unfavourable angles for a lot of the time.  
> Unless you have them horizontal, facing upwards, in which 
> case you can't focus them, and you'd need a large clear area 
> around them to make low-Sun-angles usable.
> 
> I'm not clear whether you are talking about trading 
> efficiency for ease of construction?
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> 
> Howard Winter
> St.Albans, England
> 
> 
> --
> http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change 
> your membership options at 
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
> 

-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist