What Happens When Hope Takes Over Planning

[freebeard]

Can't swim in a solar pond.

Do you have the space for a roll-away pool cover?

[Fat Charlie]

Why not? mine's a saltwater pool. Is a solar pond just an inefficient way to generate electricity, or do you get some direct gain from the heat? It'd be a pity to miss out on that.

We've got a sheet of bubble wrap that we roll on and off the pool as needed. This sheet has been on it for a few years, this or next year may be its last.

[freebeard]

I post links so you can find answers. Try https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_pond#Description. You'll see that it works by stratification, any mixing would kill the 2% efficiency.

The cutt-and-bleeding edge of tech is a membrane to separate the brine and potable water.

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by Xist

Don't the most effective panels rotate on multiple axes?

Depends on what your definition of efficiency is.
Doing a 2 axis tilt at least triples the price of the panels and mounting in a solar install. All to get about 30% more power.
You've better off just installing 30% more fixed panels.
It made sense when panels were over $10 per watt.

[freebeard]

Fixed panels with Fresnel lens concentrators.

[oil pan 4]

If you direct anything more than natural sun light on panels it voids their warranty.

[freebeard]

[grumble, grumble]

[oil pan 4]

I don't know if panels could be built to take concentrated solar, but their cost may exceed benefit. If you double the sun on panels do they need a cooling system?
Heat sinks on the underside, or liquid cooling, well that at least doubles the price.

I think a good compromise would be to tilt them on a single axis.
That way you get a 2 fold benefit. They come up to full power earlier, produce some more power but in thing the real benefit is to be able to tilt the panels away from hail and wind. Since places that have the best sun tend to have bad wind and/or hail. If the system saves the panels one time in 20 years it pays for its self.