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Title: Effectiveness of Parabolic Solar Panel in Gathering Solar Energy

The document discusses a research study conducted by five researchers on the effectiveness of using a parabolic shape for solar panels. The objectives were to construct an alternative renewable energy source and focus sunlight to a single point for increased efficiency. Previous studies showed standard flat panels only capture 40% of sunlight. The researchers hypothesize that a parabolic shape would more effectively gather rays to a fixed focus point, increasing energy production. They plan to test this through experiments and gather opinions from electrical engineers.

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75 views

Title: Effectiveness of Parabolic Solar Panel in Gathering Solar Energy

The document discusses a research study conducted by five researchers on the effectiveness of using a parabolic shape for solar panels. The objectives were to construct an alternative renewable energy source and focus sunlight to a single point for increased efficiency. Previous studies showed standard flat panels only capture 40% of sunlight. The researchers hypothesize that a parabolic shape would more effectively gather rays to a fixed focus point, increasing energy production. They plan to test this through experiments and gather opinions from electrical engineers.

Uploaded by

MGPagaduan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Title: Effectiveness of Parabolic Solar Panel in gathering Solar Energy.

Researchers:

Jose Jonell P. Loria

Mary Jean Daphne V. Nolasco

Martin Levi U. Larcena

Mary Grace O. Paguila

Pamela Bianca Nicdao

Objectives:

-The researchers’ aims to construct a parabolic solar panel to provide an alternative,


renewable source of energy.

-The solar panel is designed in parabolic form because of the researchers’ interest to
focus the beam of sunlight in one point.

-This research study is intended to offer a cheaper and more environmental-friendly


source of electricity

Research Questions:

-What is the significance of using the parabolic shape in making the solar panel?

-How can the “Solar Satellite” help our environment?

-In what ways can the parabolic “Solar Satellite” provide an alternative, renewable
source of energy?
-By what means can we say that “Solar Satellite” are way cheaper than Meralco (or any
other electric company)

Overview of Previous Researches and Review of Related Literature:

Electricity is one of the things that we use every day starting from the moment we
wake up,to the moment we sleep. Our alarm clocks that wakes us up and the air
conditioner that aids us in peaceful sleeping they all use electricity. With that reason the
search for the sources of this energy is up high. A problem is that our traditional sources
of energy like coal are non-renewable source of energy and it is bad for our environment.
Coal emits carbon dioxide at a large scale that it destroys our ozone layer and fastens
the greenhouse effect and therefore contributing to climate change.

In answer to that problem we are now harnessing the energy that are natural
emitting and will never run out. An example of it is the solar energy which makes the sun
a primary source of electricity. Today we have Solar panels, these are devices that
convert light into electricity. They are called "solar" panels because most of the time, the
most powerful source of light available is the Sun, called Sol by astronomers. Some
scientists call them photovoltaics which means, basically, "light-electricity."

According to Michael Dhar, LiveScience Contributor, solar panel works by allowing


photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of
electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many, smaller units called photovoltaic cells.
(Photovoltaic simply means they convert sunlight into electricity.) Many cells linked
together make up a solar panel. Each photovoltaic cell is basically a sandwich made up
of two slices of semi-conducting material, usually silicon — the same stuff used in
microelectronics.

But then there is a problem that we have in solar panels, Since they are “panels” in a
straight flat surface not all the light from the sun is absorbed by the solar panels therefore
most solar panels have a 40% efficiency rate which means 60% of the sunlight gets
wasted and is not harnessed. This is a problem since that solar panels we have are in
high costs and it is very disappointing to know that more than half of the energy that the
sun have is wasted and not harnessed.

In solution to that problem, the researchers are proposing to have “Solar Satellite ”
which means that they solar panel we have today must be in the shape of a satellite
which is a parabola. We choose the parabola
as a shape because of its geometrical
properties. It is been known that the focus of
a parabola is a fixed point on the interior of a
parabola. In that way the rays of the sun will
be effectively gathered in one point therefore
producing more electricity.

According to David L. Chandler a


member of Mit News office Innovative 3-D designs can more than double the solar
power generated from a given area. In general, 3-D shapes could have a big advantage
in any location where space is limited, such as flat-rooftop installations or in urban
environments, they say. Such shapes could also be used in larger-scale applications,
such as solar farms, once shading effects between towers are carefully minimized.
German Architect Andre Broessel believes he has a solution that can “squeeze more
juice out of the sun”, even during the night hours and in low-light regions. His company
Rawlemon has created a spherical sun power generator prototype called the beta.ray.

His technology will combine spherical geometry principles with a dual axis tracking
system, allowing twice the
yield of a conventional solar
panel in a much smaller
surface area. The futuristic
design is fully rotational and is
suitable for inclined surfaces,
walls of buildings, and
anywhere with access to the
sky. It can even be used as an
electric car charging station.

A difference that their the 2 researches have is that the solar panels in a tower shape
and a sphere shape and not in parabolic shape. The researchers want to prove that a
parabolic solar panel will gather more energy that is beneficial for all.

Target Respondents:

This study will benefit mostly all people since we are using electricity everyday. It will
improve the solar panels that we have, it will increase the percentage of effectiveness
that the solar panels have today. In performing the study we will be several electrical
engineers and meralco (Manila Electric Railroad And Light Company) to have their
opinions in the study.

Propose Instrument/Data Gathering Techniques:


The type of variable used in the research is quantitative since the research topic is
more focused in gathering the results and the quantitative approach of the research is
structured and formal. Surveys, tests and experiments are the techniques in quantitative
approach where they will be use in data collection to provide results in making the
research. Mainly we will have an experiment to prove the effectiveness of parabolic
shape in solar panels.

References:

Broessel, A. (April 13). The Spherical Sun Power Generator. Retrieved December 04,
2016, from http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/spherical-sun-power-generator/

David L. Chandler, MIT News Office. (2012, March 27). A new dimension for solar
energy. Retrieved December 04, 2016, from
http://news.mit.edu/2012/three-dimensional-solar-energy-0327

Dhar, M. (2013, December 16). How Do Solar Panels Work? Retrieved December 04,
2016, from http://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels-work.html

Disadvantages Of Solar Energy - Conserve Energy Future. (2015). Retrieved December


03, 2016, from
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/Disadvantages_SolarEnergy.php

Mathwords: Focus of a Parabola. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from


http://www.mathwords.com/f/focus_parabola.htm
Power. (n.d.). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from
http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/power/1-what-are-solar-panels.h
tml

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