Laser generated synthetic mega scale aperture

Short Description

Revolutionary structureless system for concentrating and harnessing huge amounts of solar energy via a laser generated synthetic aperture concentrating system.

Abstract

The system relies on the ability of high intensity lasers to set up a thin plasma sheet (or a hot sheet) in the atmosphere that depends on the beam intensity and geometry. The laser beam can be spread and directed with physical optics to generate a thin hot shell (micrometer scale) conical shape waveguide in the atmosphere. The hot shell of the waveguide will have a different index of refraction (n) from that of the surrounding air layers and as such will serve to internally reflect (redirect) portions of the entering sun rays toward the base of the cone thus resulting in a virtual solar energy concentration system. As the solar energy descends through the aperture, the energy density quickly multiplies. At the base of the aperture, a massive amount of energy now exist that can be collected and converted.

Inventor(s)

Dr. Taysir Nayfeh, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Commercial Applications

• The laser-generated synthetic aperture will provide a cost effective method for harnessing huge amounts of solar energy.

• A large scale replacement of a conventional solar energy harnessing system. As the solar energy descends through the aperture, the energy density quickly multiplies. At the base of the aperture, a massive amount of energy now exists that can be collected and converted.

• The technology may be deployed in such a manner as to significantly reduce the global warning effect without adverse effects.

Advantages

• Novel solar concentrator that could increase the magnification of the solar energy over ten thousand times, while not requiring a large physical structure typically associated with traditional optics.

• The plasma field would generate a virtual waveguide, with no mechanical structure, to focus the incoming solar energy to a small collection point. This would enable a more efficient and economical system to be developed to convert the solar energy into electrical energy.

IP Information

7,986,860

Related IP

Status

Available