www.solarfire.

org

Solar Fire Concentration

Executive Summary
Author: Eerik Wissenz
email: eerik@solarfire.org

This document describes the advantages for any Vesta-Helios type solar concentrator, as featured on
www.solarfire.org.

Principle of solar concentration

When the sun is shining, there is on average 1000 watts/meter2 of solar energy available at the earth's
surface. Though this represents a significant amount of energy all over the globe (virtually all natural
phenomenon on the earth's surface is powered by the sun), the energy is homogeneous at a relatively
low temperature compared to ambient (as it essentially defines ambient temperature) and so it is
difficult to transform this energy into other forms. However, since the sun's rays are parallel they can be
focused into a much smaller space by use of a paraboloid reflector, which allows for many
transformations in nearly every industry at high efficiencies. Perfect concentration will attain 2500° C,
though 1000° C is typical for solar concentrators.

Engineering problem
The cost of this concentration is mechanical complexity. A solar concentrator must have a precise form
and track the sun in order to function.

A classic “pure” parabolic collector has been observed to increase in cost exponentially with size, as
more and more complexity is needed to form, support and track the shape. When cost increases
exponentially with size, cost-effectiveness must decrease proportionally.

Solar Fire Solution

The design purpose of Solar Fire is to keep the cost increase linear as the size of the concentrator is
increased. This is achieved by using a modular design.

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Instead of one large parabola or paraboloid, many small paraboloid reflectors are formed with moulds
and fixed to rows on a frame. The cost per unit of producing and fixing these paraboloid reflectors
remains constant for any number, indeed often decreases in cost with an economy of scale.

Once this linear increase in cost is exhausted for a single concentrator and if the application requires
more energy, the design can simply be multiplied and coupled together. With the the coupling system,
the cost per unit increases but remains constant for essentially any number, if not decreasing with an
economy of scale.

Structural advantages
Since the frame is simply an inclined rectangle with rows there is no parabolic “depth” and so the
support structure is easy to build and scaling is straightforward -- the components of the frame simply
become longer, with a little reinforcement for some.

As the moving parts are all single axis rotation -- the whole machine rotates on a vertical axis, and each
row rotates on a horizontal axis relative to the frame -- there is little mechanical complexity and simple
bolts are sufficient for joints.

Applications advantages
As the focal point is fixed in space relative to the ground, the application (whatever is placed at the
focal point) can remain immobile relative to the ground, and so the application can be supported by the
ground and not the concentrator itself; this significantly reduces the complexity of the design,
mechanics, and support structure.

Applications can be designed and installed independently of the concentrator itself. This allows the
same concentrator to be used for a number of applications in its lifetime, or even in the same day,
without any modification. Likewise, the same application can be installed with any other fixed point
concentrator of a similar temperature and watts, allowing the user to more easily sell a concentrator or
application.

Transportation advantages
Because the individual paraboloids are small, they are easily stackable for transportation in small
boxes. The frame is also easily transported as it consists of straight lengths. Transportation costs can be
further reduced by forming the paraboloid reflectors on-site. Also, when appropriate, the heavy
components of the support structure can be fabricated locally with standard building materials, further
reducing transportation costs. If the cost of petrol increases due to peak oil, locally built and maintained
prglobal researchactices will prevail.

Maintenance advantages
Since the paraboloids are formed by simply placing flat mirrors on small moulds, and then fixing them
together, the operation requires essentially no skill. The moulds can be easily produced in series and so
a copy can remain on site for future repairs by the user. Fixing the paraboloid reflectors to the frame
takes equally little skill. The frame itself requires no special tools, calculations or materials to maintain
or repair.

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Maintenance costs are very low as individual reflectors and rows can be removed for repair with out
any special skills and with tools and materials transportable by hand. Not only is this maintenance
extremely rapid but the machine can continue to function in the meantime. Only damage to the
substructure (requiring something on the order of an impact with a vehicle) would require dismantling
the machine for repair.

Since the applications of a fixed point concentrator are attached to the ground and not the concentrator,
their maintenance is performed independently and so can be done at a minimal cost.

Life span
This easy maintenance allows a significantly extended life span. Since solar energy is free and
abundant, a solar concentrator never becomes redundant as long as it can be maintained. Since all the
materials in the Solar Fire Concentrators are standard building materials unlikely to ever be out of
production, every component can be replaced and the concentrators can have a nearly indefinite life
span.

Mirrors are expected to last 30 years, and steal many times that, which gives a general idea at what
intervals components require replacement. Since applications of solar energy are limited only by our
imagination, an end user can always be confident that if ever they have no more use of their Solar Fire
Concentrator, someone relatively close by will probably be willing to purchase it.

Disadvantages
The only way of achieving the above advantages is with paraboloids that reflect to a fixed point
regardless of the position of the sun. The consequence of this geometry is that the paraboloids cast a
smaller shadow when inclined away from the sun, and thus they collect less energy compared to the
maximum possible with the reflective surface (maximum for any focal distance is a pure parabola
perpendicular to the suns rays, thus casting the largest possible shadow).

Another potential disadvantage is that a paraboloid can only be optimized for a single angle of
reflection. As a paraboloid is inclined away from its optimum, the focal point will change shape
(becoming less optimal proportional to the deviation).

These problems are only potential because solar energy is free. Without fuel costs the only real design
parameter is that the application functions for the lowest possible production costs, especially at the
birth of the industry. Furthermore, a perfect focal point of 2500° will destroy most materials and so
would make most applications exceedingly expensive.

Conclusion
For a wide range of solar thermal applications Solar Fire Technologies offers a simple and tested basis
for development, requiring no intensive investment to test and prove concepts. No specialized skill or
tools are necessary to maintain the basic technology and so the model can be exported to all countries
in the world, representing a truly global opportunity.

Because the applications are mounted independently with fixed focal point concentrators, they can be

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easily adapted to any solar concentrator of similar power. By diversifying into a wide range of solar
applications and designs a natural dynamic is created with the evolution of the solar market.

With the peak in oil production the demand for solar thermal technology will grow exponentially and
so opportunities will be abundant. Even if oil production does not peak -- which is impossible -- there
is still a strong market because solar energy is free and so any solar device will pay for itself: the
increase in the cost of fossil fuels simply renders the investment more obvious.