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Author Topic: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish  (Read 58053 times)

kampen

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« Reply #15 on: September 06, 2008, 12:30:42 AM »

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free energy will give you free-energy and
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kampen

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #16 on: September 08, 2008, 04:28:14 PM »
Thanks Moderator, DATABASE ERROR is fixed, working now fine.

kampen

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2008, 08:49:18 PM »

I am still working on my heat-exchanger and auto-tracker.
Hope to finish this month and all parts are within limited budget.

See enclosed picture(s):
Heat-exchanger proto-type specs: diam. 320mm x 30mm, coated with heat-absorbing/resistant paint.

kampen

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #18 on: September 22, 2008, 08:50:36 PM »
See enclosed picture:
Heat-exchanger proto-type specs:
CAD drawing , diam. 320mm x 30mm

kampen

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #19 on: October 07, 2008, 07:38:43 PM »
@ All,

finely here it is, my Solar Heat Exchanger
see picture(s) below:

exxcomm0n

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #20 on: October 07, 2008, 09:45:10 PM »
Since there is a BUD (big ugly dish about 4 feet or 1 meter) satellite TV dish in the backyard doing nothing due to burnt out positioning motor and the advent of DTV (which doesn't need to move to access multiple satellites) making it redundant, I've thought about converting it to a solar power device for heating or electrical generation using either solar cell or peizo <sp?> electric (as that could perhaps generate more electricity in winter months due to extreme temperature differential of focused solar on one side and atmospheric cold on the other?).

The first thing to fly into my head about the positioning would be to make electric motor driven coarse screws actuating geared arms shielded from the elements and use that for dish positioning (E/W and up/down) controlled by a clock/calendar/microprocessor with a map of the suns azimuth and position in reference to the longitude and latitude of the dish location.
Using that, sun tracking would be a "set and forget" situation that tracks irregardless of other factors and keep the focus of the sun consistently at optimal positioning 24/7/365.

I'm thinking of using mylar reflective material too, but need to come up with an answer for wind.
A meter diameter circle still makes a pretty good "sail" that could allow strong winds to damage the positioning mechanism.

But I have a few questions I'd like to pose to better help me make a decision on how to implement this.
In the case of using a solar cell:

How much solar IR can a solar cell stand before it burns up?

Are there reflective materials that could pass the IR harmlessly while reflecting the more electrical producing higher wavelengths to the solar cell?

Is there a combination solar/piezo cell being built to anyones knowledge so that all wavelengths could be equally captured and used at the same time by one cell?

Thanks for starting the thread infringer and very nice build kampen!

hydrocontrol

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #21 on: October 07, 2008, 10:35:14 PM »

Check out this site for circuits and assemblies to do just what you are wanting to do for solar tracking.
http://www.redrok.com/electron.htm#led3x

EDIT PS. I just seen this was listed in a above post but I can not delete my post.. Sorry for the duplicate information.

hydrocontrol

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #22 on: October 07, 2008, 10:43:39 PM »
You may also want to check out this thread about using a Peltier junction array to generate power instead of a solar panel. Possibly cheaper.. I provided links in that thread for mylar film and other things.

http://www.overunity.com/index.php?topic=5536.msg125996#msg125996


ramset

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #23 on: October 10, 2008, 04:33:03 PM »
Kampen Your heat exchanger is beautiful !!! its a shame to cover it up. You have inspired me to build also
@ Hydro Thanks for the links
PS I have  read these parabolic dishes can generate 1000 C or more
         Chet

infringer

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #24 on: October 10, 2008, 09:27:56 PM »
Peltier junction is an interesting thing should be researched...

As for using solar cells for concentrated solar it is a reqirement to also cool the cell with a coolant of some sort.

Either way it will take little money to make these dishes possible the hardest portion will be keeping the weathering from ruining them and the expense of conversion and energy storage.

Glad to see the dish its really interesting I am interested in seeing the tracking portion when you are finished.

Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

-infringer-

guyver2k

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #25 on: October 13, 2008, 03:59:45 AM »
Sorry I'm new to solar water heaters... how much hot water can you produce? how long does it last? and how hot does it get? and how much will it cost?

triffid

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #26 on: October 13, 2008, 07:50:08 PM »
I mentioned this earlier but you can focus up to 10x solar on a solar cell without doing much harm to the cell.Just as the cell starts getting hot a gust of wind usually comes along to cool it down.If you must you can always use a 12 volt computer fan and use solar electricity to run it .That could be running as you are generating electricity.Just use air to cool the cells with.So it is with electricity I would think you can double or triple the heat output of a solar hot water heater.Triffid

triffid

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #27 on: October 13, 2008, 07:57:42 PM »
There are solar hot water heaters you can buy for camping(walmart) they hold about 3 gallons and take about 2 hours to heat up for  hot water in the sun for a shower somewhere on your camping trip.
If you want one for your roof there are all kinds of books out there.Mother earth has always been good for that kind of stuff.If you don't want to buy any books,check out the local library.Usually the more simple the design the better .Triffid

triffid

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #28 on: October 13, 2008, 08:03:18 PM »
I know glass windows allow ir radiation to pass through (at shorter wavelengths).The ir radiation (once passed through)becomes a longer wavelength and cannot escape again.So the room becomes hotter.I think quartz windows block the ir radiation altogether.But they cost a lot!Triffid

kampen

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Re: Turn a satellite dish into a parabolic dish
« Reply #29 on: October 13, 2008, 10:57:04 PM »
@ All,

See below, this is the flow-sheet diagram: