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Related Concept Videos

Phase Changes01:19

Phase Changes

Phase transitions play an important theoretical and practical role in the study of heat flow. In melting or fusion, a solid turns into a liquid; the opposite process is freezing. In evaporation, a liquid turns into a gas; the opposite process is condensation.
A substance melts or freezes at a temperature called its melting point and boils or condenses at its boiling point. These temperatures depend on pressure. High pressure favors the denser form of the substance, so typically, high pressure...
P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
Time and frequency -Domain Interpretation of Phase-lead Control01:24

Time and frequency -Domain Interpretation of Phase-lead Control

Phase-lead controllers are commonly used in various control systems to enhance response speed and stability. Adjusting the brightness on a television screen offers a practical example of phase-lead control. When contrast is enhanced, a phase-lead controller is employed. Mathematically, phase-lead control is identified when the first parameter is smaller than the second.
The design of phase-lead control involves the strategic placement of poles and zeros to balance steady-state error and system...

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Experimental System of Solar Adsorption Refrigeration with Concentrated Collector
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Thermal phase change actuator for self-tracking solar concentration.

E J Tremblay1, D Loterie, C Moser

  • 1Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Station 17, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. eric.tremblay@epfl.ch

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|November 29, 2012
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Summary

This study demonstrates a novel solar-powered actuator for solar concentrators. The phase change device uses focused sunlight to enable self-tracking, improving light coupling efficiency.

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Area of Science:

  • Optics and Photonics
  • Materials Science
  • Renewable Energy

Background:

  • Efficient coupling of concentrated solar light into planar lightguides is crucial for solar energy applications.
  • Existing solar concentrator systems often require complex tracking mechanisms sensitive to incidence angles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate a proof of principle for a reversible in-plane actuator activated by focused sunlight.
  • To conceptualize a self-tracking mechanism for planar solar concentrators using this actuator.
  • To achieve adaptive light coupling insensitive to incidence angle.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a phase change actuator responsive to focused sunlight.
  • Illumination of a planar actuator array with a solar simulator to measure in-plane deflections.
  • Demonstration of solar light-activated frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR).

Main Results:

  • Achieved in-plane deflections exceeding 50 μm in the actuator array under focused light.
  • Successfully demonstrated solar light-activated FTIR using the actuator array.
  • Proposed a modification using a dichroic facet array to enhance solar light coupling and concentration.

Conclusions:

  • The developed actuator shows potential as a self-tracking mechanism for planar solar concentrators.
  • The solar-induced FTIR effect offers a pathway for adaptive light coupling and concentration.
  • This technology could lead to more efficient and robust solar energy harvesting systems.