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louis

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2008-03-24

Posts: 7,208

Spherical solar cells

Seems like this design might have advantages on Mars where there is a lot of ambient reflected light. Increased cost would not be a deal breaker on Mars, especially if the manufacturing can be robotised.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuDLfW3-DT4

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SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,884

Re: Spherical solar cells

Solar panels are highly sensitive to what you might call 'sub-optimal' conditions...wrong angle of the sun, scattered sunlight, dust & sand, too much heat - all these things diminish the panels ability to generate power. But now a research team reckon they've overcome all those problems by creating a spherical version of the common solar PV panel. So, is this a practical proposition for the real world?

Something that we have been telling you about...

So what do we do now that we have a sphere of receiving cells to create power with?

1 make panel connection processor controlled to match received power from panels that are weak to those that are stronger so as to get the most out of the sphere.

2 make use of solar reflection on the weak side to compensate power being received to match the strong direct side power.

3 place the lower half such that a parabolic shape reflect the down falling light onto the under side of the sphere.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,188

Re: Spherical solar cells

For Louis ... thanks for creating this new topic, starting out with the link from JustHaveAThink!

I was intrigued (but not necessarily surprised) that this innovative research is being done in Saudi Arabia.  They have an impressive share of global solar power and generally agreeable weather conditions to harvest it.

For SpaceNut ...

Point 1 in post #2 ... interesting concept .... related to that idea is the question of how individual cells are wired to the power collection module.

Point 2 in post #2 ... definitely a good idea, but it ** is ** worth noting that dust removal will be needed for reflective surfaces.

As you know, dust removal was shown in the video of flat panels.  The spherical design would (it seems to me) need dust removal service, but the automation to accomplish that would be even **more** complex than was shown for flat panels.

Point 3 in post #2 ... A good idea, for sure, but **Wow!** think of the dust removal automation you'll need for ** those ** shapes.

Well, fortunately, your talent is up to the challenge!

(th)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,884

Re: Spherical solar cells

I am reminded by this image

The open side of the reflective capture system has a clear lens in it to keep all dust out of the system.

The mount at the bottom can turn the sphere if needed to align the sphere cell for best reception.

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 17,188

Re: Spherical solar cells

For SpaceNut re #4

Thanks for bringing that graphic by Georgi Petrov back into view!

While that particular design is intended to deliver sunlight into the interior of an underground habitat, the concept would seem to be good fit for the Saudi spherical solar panel design. 

The wrinkle I'd like to add is in honor of Void, who may well have already published this idea, but I may have missed it.

A soap bubble is a dynamic spherical shape held in place by a small difference in pressure between the inside of the shape and the exterior.

In the case of Mars, it would not take much pressure to inflate a soap bubble on Mars.

A traditional soap bubble on Earth can last for a surprisingly long time.  Eventually, however, the material  comprising the sherical shape evaporates, and the bubble ceases to exist.

I bring this up because something like soap bubble (a dynamic film of some kind) would (presumably) be able to remove dust in the air by circulating the dust into a waste receptacle.

The purpose of the bubble (on Mars for sure) is to keep dust off of the photon collecting equipment.

A dynamic spherical shape would (presumably) be transparent so photons could pass through to the photon collection equipment but sturdy enough to survive on Mars in the presence of moving atmosphere including dust particles.

** How ** this might be done is a mystery to me, but at least the idea is published so someone can work on it.

(th)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 28,884

Re: Spherical solar cells

solar reflective surfaces have been long talked about by many but to capture thermal or to reflect the visible light for natural use.

Solar reflection has been suggested for natural lighting increase by Robert in many greenhouse topics.
Solar reflection has been suggested by Void for helistat thermal power and for high temperature solar cells as well.

This is the first use of a sphere bubble shell that is clear to make the reflected light onto the surface of PV cells to maximize the capability of ordinary pv panels.