DIY Solar Concentrators, Made Better.
704,133 views 4 weeks ago
Check out my sponsor Brilliant, free for 30 days (and get 20% off a premium subscription!) by using this link: https://brilliant.org/nighthawk In this video we dive into compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) and their incredible ability to focus light from multiple input angles onto a central target at once. This allows them to provide concentrated solar heat without active solar tracking, as well as increased absorbance from indirect sources (such as scattered light in cloudy weather). The method I use in this video is called a "string construction", which uses a string to simulate the reflection of light rays and sketch out idealized reflective curves. Resources for further reading: Online tool for plotting CPCs with tube collectors (thanks Koen Siteur!): https://www.desmos.com/calculator/ocg... "A Review of the Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) with a Tubular Absorber": https://www.researchgate.net/publicat... "Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of a Compound Parabolic Concentrators Collector with an Absorber Tube": https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/1/287# Power From The Sun e-book, chapter 9: http://www.powerfromthesun.net/Book/c...) Non-Imaging optics article discussing concentration limits of CPCs: https://ebrary.net/204001/engineering... Interactive model of an ordinary parabolic concentrator (great for emphasizing how much light is ordinarily lost at offset input angles): https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/Pa... A special thank you to my top patrons: Aik193, Aleksander, bandit, Bartholomew Spawndoom, Boatyard McBoatface, Brad Alan Armstrong, Brian, Brian Bowles, Bryan Shattuck, Carl Katzenberger, Chris, Christopher Calkins, Christian, Connor Davis, Daniel Bauman, Dan L, Daniel Moore, David Burburan, Dean Maurer, Dustin B, Edward Ivory, Edward Unthank, Eugene Pakhomov, Enzo Breda Lee, Etalon, Evan Hughes, Evan Relf, GadgetPatch, GEOCAHEPUNA, Gusbear, Henner Zeller, Isaac Wiebe, Jedediah Kivi, Jeremy, Jon Hartmann, Johnathon Otte, Jonathan Wilt, Josh Hoppes, Julian Meßmer, JWC, Keith Tucker, Kejie YU, Kris Pockell, Lisa L, Manuel Barkhau, M W, Mark Roth, Martha Williams, Matthias S., Merrill Crawford, Michel Pastor, Moopy (Mike), Oliver, OscarCorx, overra, PabloXIII, Parker Jones, Peter Gordon, PeteyPak, PFC_CMC, RPMatthew, Ryan Shoaf, Sam Hodge, Santiago Perez, Scott Schlesier, Shadow VanDusen, Simone Chiesi, Steve C, Syniurge, Ted Brandston, The Coldrays Team, Trance Maharaj, TWSBI, Walter Montalvo, White Hat, Y@, Yanko Yankulov, Alvaro Figueroa https://www.patreon.com/nighthawkproj... Thank you for watching!
This is a place where you can submit your own videos to be featured on the NightHawkInLight homepage! They just need to have been inspired by one of my projects in some way, and mention which video was the inspiration (in the description, title, or video itself). Submit videos by sending a link in an email to NightHawkVideoResponse[at]gmail.com. I created this playlist as an attempt to recapture the richness of community that existed in the early days of YouTube when the video response system still existed. I loved being able to support smaller channels that made projects based on my videos by featuring their videos under my own. I interacted with many of these channels regularly and made many friends. That community slowly dissolved with the removal of the video response system, but maybe with playlists like this one we can bring that kind of interaction back. A special note about submitting videos: I may not approve submissions if they are too far off topic from my own projects, or if they show things that I believe to be too dangerous. In either of these cases I will likely respond to the submission to say why it was declined. I look forward to seeing your videos! Best, Ben
NightHawkInLight
• 2 months ago
Have you ever seen a wild gooseberry? They turn purple and taste similar to a grape when ripe, but you have to burn off the spikes before eating!
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NightHawkInLight
• 2 months ago
What technology would you most like to see me develop further in future videos?
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Vote now
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Radiative sky cooling coatings/materials
Phase change heat batteries/cooling packs
Modifying/upcycling free materials
Some other tech you'd like to learn how to DIY
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NightHawkInLight
• 1 year ago (edited)
I'd say my DIY cooling fibers have seen some improvement! The next video should be in September, and at that time I hope to have this stuff put to practical use!
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NightHawkInLight
• 1 year ago (edited)
For those interested in seeing more of the things I'm working on you can follow my second channel: https://youtube.com/@nhilextra?si=0el... Patreon livestreams are made public on that channel some time later than their recording. If you've seen my recent PCM project you will find the referenced stream in which I attempted a caloriometry experiment on the 18C PCM sample to compare cooling capacity with ice.
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NightHawkInLight
• 1 year ago
Starting here in Michigan already!
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NightHawkInLight
• 1 year ago
The incoming geomagnetic storm has been moved up an intensity category, now a G5 which is the biggest since 2003. This means there will be even bigger than expected auroras, possibly lasting through the weekend with a better chance to see them even approaching the equator! As far as I know the peak is still going to be around midnight tonight in my timezone (EST). I'm excited. Clear skies in Michigan currently. Those of you with cloudy skies may still get some good looks over the next few days.
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