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Inflatable mirrors

04.06.2009

Recently, solar power plants have appeared in which, to increase the efficiency of solar panels, the light on them is concentrated using mirrors. But mirrors are heavy and expensive.

American inventor Rob Lamkin proposed to make large concave mirrors for solar batteries in the form of inflatable balls with a diameter of 2,5 meters from a polymer film with aluminization of one half of the ball. The other hemisphere remains transparent. It turns out a huge, but cheap converging mirror, in the focus of which is placed a solar battery in the form of a disk with a diameter of 15-20 centimeters.

To prevent the battery at the focus of the mirror from melting, it is cooled with water. Inflatable mirrors will automatically turn to follow the Sun; in addition, you can adjust the focus of the mirror by slightly changing the air pressure in it.

The first solar power plant of this type should begin operation in California this summer.

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