Solar concentrator
A solar concentrator concentrates the power of the sun onto a small area. This energy is harnessed in a variety of ways. For example, a system called SCARLET is currently flying on Deep Space I.
Contents
Designs
Lenses
A variety of lense designs are used to concentrate sunlight. A lense may be a simple piece of curved glass or plastic, or a complex Fresnel lense.
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Fiber Optics
Utilization of Focused Solar Radiation
Photovoltaics
Solar concentrators are often used in conjunction with solar panels to increase the panel's output. This maximizes the efficiency of a limited number of solar panels.
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Thermoelectric Generators
Thermoelectric materials convert heat into electricity.
Photosynthesis
Greenhouses are a good target for solar concentration. The natural sunlight on Mars is less than half that on Earth.
Lighting
Concentrated sunlight can be used to light settlements during the day.
Dangers
Concentrated solar radiation can become hazardous in some situations.
Radiation Damage
If solar radiation is concentrated for use in greenhouses or settlements, the harmful parts of the electromagnetic spectrum need to be filtered.
Vision Damage
Looking directly into concentrated sunlight can damage vision.
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Maintenance effort
The cosmic and solar radiation causes damage upon the concentrator mirrors. The particle bombardment causes blistering and foil carbonization. A lifetime of 10 years is assumed, thereafter the mirrors have to be replaced.
