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Magnetic Solar Panel

solar heated circulation of magnetic fluid around an inductor
 
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this is a re-hash of my other post named 'Passive Solar Energy Harvester'.

the device consists of a flat glass panel, under the glass is a black background. in between the glass and background is a network of transparent glass tubes containing a magnetic colloidal suspension, also convieniently black in colour.

during the day time this panel heats up and causes the fluid to circulate into a cooler inductor panel. the inductor panel consists of a dense network of copper induction wire. on one side of the copper induction layer is a layer that lets the magnetic fluid flow over the coils. on the other side of the induction panel is a magnetic layer made from the stuff those flexible fridge magnets are made from (to force the colloidal magnets to align their polarities). the net result is electrical current in usable amounts (depending on the size of the panels).

codrakon, Jul 26 2009

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       how does the panel "heat up and cause the fluid to circulate into a cooler inductor panel" ? [+]
FlyingToaster, Jul 26 2009
  

       Sounds very expensive. I imagine it would take a long time to pay for itself. I think my idea for a better solar panel would've generated an equivalent amount of energy and cost less to produce, given that it requires fewer parts and less advanced engineering.
21 Quest, Jul 26 2009
  

       Consider this: a moving conductor basically generates voltage in a magnetic field. Do you need a magnetic fluid or just conductive fluid for your idea? Either way, I think the difficulty would be to make it efficient, or even more important: how to generate enough voltage to be useful, since it's like having one turn of conductor.
Ling, Jul 27 2009
  

       Perhaps a simpler incarnation of this idea would be to use a simple solar panel to cause convection and pipe the flowing fluid through a turbine. The turbine might be used to pump fresh water or generate small amounts of electricity (e.g. for a radio).
Twizz, Jul 27 2009
  

       If this heat driven magnetic flux was used to back a normal photo-voltaic cell then the gap energy might be made less. Any method to help the environment of the junctions has to be good.
wjt, Jul 28 2009
  

       This relies on a heat difference that is simply implied - but what would keep the cool side cool?
loonquawl, Sep 01 2009
  

       there is simply no "cold side" to cause a heat pump especially when you are circulating hot "magnetic colloidal solution" well known to get even hotter when forced past magnets. Where is the heat sink, the air? How is this better than a simple steam engine? It isn't.
WcW, Sep 04 2009
  
      
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