Re: Maximum Temp. From Solar w/o Refraction or Reflection

Bret Cahill wrote:
The main advantage with a tracking dish or trough reflector for solar
power other than higher temperatures is you can get more or less the
same output all day long.

With black pipe under a clear panel the output would be some sine curve
but it might be cheaper to design in excess capacity and sink excess
heat in the middle of the day than to screw around with reflectors
which get dirty, break, etc..

Even 1000 F might not be necessary. What can you get with the cheapest
glass? 550F?

At 550F Rankin cycle efficiency is over 25% -- better than any cost
effective PV.


Bret Cahill

The OP's request was how to achive the highest temperature, not the highest energy output, the highest energy per unit cost, or the highest efficiency. Those are each very different goals. At the highest achievable temperature zero useful energy can be extracted from a solar heating system. All of the collected energy is being used to overcome the radiation losses.

When someone poses a question and doesn't describe the situation in detail it just becomes a guessing game. Nothing useful is likely to be achieved.
.

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