Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #13201
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: "Zane Bryan" zipndani@transport.com
Date: Sun, 9 Apr 2000 10:07:40 +1000
Subject: Re: Wacky ideas floating around
> A little warning about hyperbolic reflective lenses...THEY GET HOT!!!
Like
> a magnifying lense, they can focus the sun's rays with lethal effect
(lethal
> to any small critter, synthetic or not)...A pal of mine gave me one from a
> weather station (used to bounce laser light off of clouds to measure
> height)...Focusing the sun's rays, it burned a hole in an aluminum can in
> less than 20 seconds!!! Artificial light will probably be much safer, if
> you use it outdoors, make sure it is out of focus...just concentration of
> light, not pinpoint focus...or you might burn a hole in your bot.
>
> ZB
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Timothy Flytch"
> To:
> Sent: Friday, April 07, 2000 1:05 PM
> Subject: Re: Wacky ideas floating around
>
>
> > Ok William,
> > I'll try the first one... Heat... A solar cell loses efficiency with
> heat...
> > The weight/cost of the reflecter is not equal to the solar cell... i.e.
it
> > is cheaper and lighter to just use more cells then to build a
reflecter...
> >
> > >First: Don't you think I be a good idea to have a hyperbolic reflector
> > >reflect the light onto a solar cell? I mean, I would catch much more
> light,
> > >and focus it much brighter.
> >
> >
> > Timothy...
> > ______________________________________________________
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> >
> >
>
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