I just watched a video on youtube demonstrating a 3D solar printer that uses
sand as a sintering medium.  The sunlight is focused through a set of large
Fresnel lenses onto a hopper into which sand is loaded.

The machine is designed so that the hopper moves around while the focal-point
remains stationary, but it occurred to me that the same effect might be achieved
with a gantry-style printer using a series of fibre-optic cables to carry light
from a parabolic reflector.

A similar setup was used to create a solar-powered laser scalpel.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3111705.stm

thaughts?

Regards,
A.D.B.

Post a reply to this message

Fiber optic cables might even make the setup more accurate.

I love the whole idea! Any technology that reduces our need for petroleum
products is OK in my book :)

Sam

http://blog.stylesight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_08.jpg
http://www.robaid.com/wp-content/gallery/art-n-tech/solar-sinter.jpg
http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2011/06/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_09.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXQCLKLbX9Y/TiBAvhOq9KI/AAAAAAAAATc/FqUYKP9hV9I/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG

Post a reply to this message

"Samuel Benge" <stb### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> Fiber optic cables might even make the setup more accurate.
>
> I love the whole idea! Any technology that reduces our need for petroleum
> products is OK in my book :)
>
> Sam
>
>
http://blog.stylesight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_08.jpg
> http://www.robaid.com/wp-content/gallery/art-n-tech/solar-sinter.jpg
>
http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2011/06/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_09.jpg
>
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXQCLKLbX9Y/TiBAvhOq9KI/AAAAAAAAATc/FqUYKP9hV9I/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG

The only thing I can think of that might be a problem is getting a beam of the
right intensity without melting the optical fibre.  The temperature at the focus
would have to be somewhere between 500 and 1500c


Regards,
A.D.B.

Post a reply to this message

Am 14.11.2013 01:12, schrieb Anthony D. Baye:
> "Samuel Benge" <stb### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
>> Fiber optic cables might even make the setup more accurate.
>>
>> I love the whole idea! Any technology that reduces our need for petroleum
>> products is OK in my book :)
>>
>> Sam
>>
>>
http://blog.stylesight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_08.jpg
>> http://www.robaid.com/wp-content/gallery/art-n-tech/solar-sinter.jpg
>>
http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2011/06/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_09.jpg
>>
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXQCLKLbX9Y/TiBAvhOq9KI/AAAAAAAAATc/FqUYKP9hV9I/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG
>
> The only thing I can think of that might be a problem is getting a beam of the
> right intensity without melting the optical fibre.  The temperature at the focus
> would have to be somewhere between 500 and 1500c

Maybe take a bunch of fibers instead, and at the business end make them 
all point at the same spot?

Post a reply to this message

clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 14.11.2013 01:12, schrieb Anthony D. Baye:
> > "Samuel Benge" <stb### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> >> Fiber optic cables might even make the setup more accurate.
> >>
> >> I love the whole idea! Any technology that reduces our need for petroleum
> >> products is OK in my book :)
> >>
> >> Sam
> >>
> >>
http://blog.stylesight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_08.jpg
> >> http://www.robaid.com/wp-content/gallery/art-n-tech/solar-sinter.jpg
> >>
http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2011/06/dezeen_The-Solar-Sinter-by-Markus-Kayser_09.jpg
> >>
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXQCLKLbX9Y/TiBAvhOq9KI/AAAAAAAAATc/FqUYKP9hV9I/s1600/IMG_1218.JPG
> >
> > The only thing I can think of that might be a problem is getting a beam of the
> > right intensity without melting the optical fibre.  The temperature at the focus
> > would have to be somewhere between 500 and 1500c
>
> Maybe take a bunch of fibers instead, and at the business end make them
> all point at the same spot?

possible.  I had thought of that: you could run the cables to a single head
containing a collimator.  Even then, the cables might need to be replaced every
so often.

The advantage would be not having to keep your collector next to your sintering
machine.  Optical Fibre only loses 5% intensity per 1km, which works out to 1%
every 200m, so with relatively short distances, it shouldn't matter very much.

if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
efficient.

Regards,
A.D.B

Post a reply to this message

"Anthony D. Baye" <Sha### [at] spamnomorehotmailcom> wrote:
> if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
> efficient.

Has anyone ever converted direct sunlight into a laser? Or by "laser," do you
actually just mean "parallel light beam?"

Post a reply to this message

Am 14.11.2013 19:23, schrieb Samuel Benge:
> "Anthony D. Baye" <Sha### [at] spamnomorehotmailcom> wrote:
>> if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
>> efficient.
>
> Has anyone ever converted direct sunlight into a laser? Or by "laser," do you
> actually just mean "parallel light beam?"

Lasing media are typically pumped (i.e. supplied with energy to emit 
actual laser light) by some kind of conventional light source - so why 
not sunlight?

Post a reply to this message

clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> Am 14.11.2013 19:23, schrieb Samuel Benge:
> > "Anthony D. Baye" <Sha### [at] spamnomorehotmailcom> wrote:
> >> if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
> >> efficient.
> >
> > Has anyone ever converted direct sunlight into a laser? Or by "laser," do you
> > actually just mean "parallel light beam?"
>
> Lasing media are typically pumped (i.e. supplied with energy to emit
> actual laser light) by some kind of conventional light source - so why
> not sunlight?

Never said it wasn't possible; I was just wondering it anyone had actually made
it work :\ Also, why would laser light be better than simply using parallel
rays?

Post a reply to this message

Am 14.11.2013 21:20, schrieb Samuel Benge:
> clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
>> Am 14.11.2013 19:23, schrieb Samuel Benge:
>>> "Anthony D. Baye" <Sha### [at] spamnomorehotmailcom> wrote:
>>>> if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
>>>> efficient.
>>>
>>> Has anyone ever converted direct sunlight into a laser? Or by "laser," do you
>>> actually just mean "parallel light beam?"
>>
>> Lasing media are typically pumped (i.e. supplied with energy to emit
>> actual laser light) by some kind of conventional light source - so why
>> not sunlight?
>
> Never said it wasn't possible; I was just wondering it anyone had actually made
> it work :\ Also, why would laser light be better than simply using parallel
> rays?

I guess seriously parallel rays are difficult to achieve in the first 
place - with one notable solution happening to be the laser.

To achieve parallel rays with optics - whether conventional or fiber 
optics - you either need a sufficiently point-like light source, or one 
that's far away enough to appear sufficiently point-like. The sun 
doesn't really fit that bill. Light from some other star would probably 
be fine, if it wasn't for the lack in intensity.

Post a reply to this message

"Samuel Benge" <stb### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> clipka <ano### [at] anonymousorg> wrote:
> > Am 14.11.2013 19:23, schrieb Samuel Benge:
> > > "Anthony D. Baye" <Sha### [at] spamnomorehotmailcom> wrote:
> > >> if you could use the light to drive an actual laser, it might be even more
> > >> efficient.
> > >
> > > Has anyone ever converted direct sunlight into a laser? Or by "laser," do you
> > > actually just mean "parallel light beam?"
> >
> > Lasing media are typically pumped (i.e. supplied with energy to emit
> > actual laser light) by some kind of conventional light source - so why
> > not sunlight?
>
> Never said it wasn't possible; I was just wondering it anyone had actually made
> it work :\ Also, why would laser light be better than simply using parallel
> rays?

http://www.technologyreview.com/news/408698/solar-powered-laser/

"They work by focusing sunlight onto crystalline materials, such as
Neodymium-doped Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet..."

I don't see any problem with modifying the system to use an independent solar
collector connected with Fibre-optic cables.  There are already collectors like
that used for providing natural light during the day to indoor spaces, and I've
read that the light in the cable is so intense that it can start fires if
connected improperly.

Regards,
A.D.B.

Post a reply to this message