Non-PV Solar Power

Edit: Sweet, I'm on hackaday!

Hello, in this Instructable I will show you how to generate solar power using inexpensive solid state parts and without PV (photovoltaic) cells or panels. I wanted to make this project to see if I could beat the dollars per watt costs of commercially available solar panels.

You only need a few inexpensive parts to build one. It is pretty easy to build and very simple. As far as I know, my idea for the combination of thermoelectric coolers and Fresnel lenses is original... but it's probably not.

Sorry about the rubber bands and foam but remember this is an experiment on my part. Rubber bands are just the best thing for me! Likewise, I recommend you also build a prototype and if (when) it works you should go on to more fancy enclosures. Remember this is just a rough guideline and you can modify it however!

How it works:
This generation method uses a Peltier cell to generate electricity. Peltier cells are designed to be used as heat pumps. When you apply power to a Peltier cell, it begins pumping heat, and one side becomes cold and the other, hot. However, you can do the opposite and generate power from a temperature differential on the sides. To generate this differential, a Fresnel lense focuses light onto one side of the Peltier, and it becomes hot. The other side has a heatsink attached along with a fan that is powered by the Peltier.

Disclaimer:
Lenses concentrate light, which is absorbed by everything, and when light is absorbed, heat is created. You can easily burn yourself and other things with the lens. Don't leave this out uncovered because the sun moves and it might focus on something. I disclaim all responsibility for anything ever.

Step 1: Parts and Tools

For this project you will need:
a Peltier cell (I got a 50W one for $5 off of eBay, they are still there)
a Fresnel lense (mine's about the size of a sheet of printer paper, there are a whole lot on ebay)
a CPU heatsink (any type of heatsink will work, as long as it's big enough. I got mine at a garage sale for $2.50)
a 5V fan (more info on that later)

Tools/other materials:
Thermal grease
Black paint (I used semi-flat spray paint and it didn't burn)
Foam
Soldering stuff
Wire cutters
Cardboard/foam
Reflective material

Note on the peltier: The wattage doesn't affect the power output, but it does affect the internal resistance, which in turn affects the voltage output. Higher wattage = lower voltage, higher amperage. You want a lower wattage peltier so the voltage output is high enough.

My dad built a DIY projector and one of the Fresnel lenses he bought was scratched so he gave it to me.

Warning about the Fresnel! Don't go much bigger than the sheet-magnifier size because you will fry your Peltier. We are probably already running it over it's heat limit, which means it may not last as long.

We have a bunch of foam lying around from building RC foamy airplanes.

The heatsink used to have a fan on it but it was 12v and barely ran off of 5v, so I hunted for 5 volt fans. I was impatient and couldn't find one that I could purchase locally, so I went to Fry's electronics and picked up a laptop cooling pad for $10. There is another one there for $5 that will work fine. It had two fans built in, so I took out the 6 screws, pulled it apart, and pried off the two fan blades/circuit boards. As you can see, they were smart and made the fan axles built into the case instead of standalone fans... so I outsmarted them and dremeled out the axles! You could go my route and use a band/jig saw or dremel, but I highly recommend buying a 5v fan online to save yourself the trouble.

Comments

[maovi]

nice

[jomac_uk]

Just a thought, if you use a peltier cell and a freshnel lens to generate electricity and you have a bank of them in say a 1m X 2m area, will the set up generate more or less electricity per given area compared to solar PV's?

[iciolan]

Depending of the elements you will be using -You can expect more or less 1Kwh per 1m X 2m area of peltier.
But the problem is - You willl need a pretty BIG freshnel lens or BIG solar oven and 1m X 2M heat sink too.... that's a huge thingy.

[dlginstructables]

Nice job - I've been thinking of heating a peltier element with my solar oven to generate a little electricity, but haven't tried it yet.

[carey124578]

i bought a fresnel lens as a magnifer at Barns and Noble

[likewho]

I’ve tried standard peltier modules with limited success and very short service life. They cannot hold up to the higher temperatures necessary for good power generation performance. I found a terrific supplier with both standard temperature and high temperature TEG modules designed specifically for power generation. They sell a lot of devices on eBay and you can also buy from them direct. The company is Thermal Enterprises and here is are links to a couple of their eBay items.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310148993913&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310209561834&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

[bananafred]

They don't even provide the chemistry... whats to prove their better or different from normal TEC modules? And wow, you look a lot like a shill, with all of your comments being promoting these items.

[scarabdrowner]

I would like to see someone build a 3-stage solar power generator: a photovoltaic cell connected to a peltier/seebeck unit connected to a stirling engine. Actually, the peltier/su could go on either end of the stirling engine. I wonder how much power one could get out of such a setup.

[scarabdrowner]

I know I'm replying to myself, but oh well. I had a rethink of my idea, and came up with this setup: take an old satellite dish, line the concave side with small photovoltaic cells (1st power source). The pv cells, being shiny, would reflect some light, and being mounted in a satellite dish, would focus the reflected light onto a seebeck unit (2nd power source) which is mounted on the stirling engine (3rd power source). Would this not work?

[arbit3r]

 Hey interesting project. First thing I've heard of peltier cells and they look pretty interesting. I'm thinking maybe a bank of peltier cells heatsunk one side and fed with a heated liquid from a solar panel (liquid type not  pv).

[AQUARIUMWAREHOUSE]

[DELETED_Fuingurth]

(removed by author or community request)

[build a BOOM]

I have that book too, DNA replication is complicated : (

[ctm53]

ha haaa  you got that book to! it sucked and i hated it so much!!

my friend got so pissed he threw a knife at that book!!

[czenob]

 mine looks like like crap because its my school's, but it's the same book

[darkevilapie]

nice job on ur project,
i got an ideer:  if u focus the light on a black container or can filled with water coundt u make a solar powerd sterling engine???
(see sterling on instructables)

[NullLifeException]

I saw something similar in concept to this on Daily Planet, once.  A company in the southern states makes big parabolic mirrors that focus light onto a single point, and run high efficiency stirling engines from the heat generated at that point.  The stirling engines are then used to generate electricity.

[scubascooby]

How hot do PV cells get in sunlight ?

Is there any benefit in putting a peltier on the back of a PV cells to harvest the heat that would otherwise be wasted ?

[mankysteve]

Thermal electric have been around for ages in fact before photovoltaic there not as efficient as photovoltaic other wise every one wud be using these rather photovoltaic cells. Nice project though.

[AQUARIUMWAREHOUSE]

I am trying to add images.....so far it's been two minutes loading....How long is "this may take a while"???? Hmm, 20 minutes so far, maybe it is my computer or firewall?

[AQUARIUMWAREHOUSE]

2 years ago, I bought my 7th grade son 10 40 or 50 watt thermoelectric chips off ebay to use in his science fair project  and a 5watt solar panel. We were going to make portable or camping generators.  TE chips would be attached to a chunk of old aluminumg griddle, heated with a tin-can "refuge biogasifier stove", make E and cook at the same time.  He also made a Parabolic reflector from a $store mirror and mylar (not tested, but looks cool), and the cardboard packing box of the PV was wrapped inside with Mylar as a perfect concentrator with carrying case for travel.  That worked "good".  ATTACH THE TE CHIsP TO THE BACKS OF PV PANELS, use the mirrors or your fresnel lenses, and cooling PV panels is good for their performance and longevity.  Bill Thomas, Olympia, WA.

[tatay66]

I have a solution for your possible paint problem. For the paint you can buy BBQ grill paint (black) at any Home depot it is made to withstand up to 1200 degrees.

[hendrosutono]

With your concept, is it works if I'm using aluminum plate to collect heat from the sun? Cause in my country the sun is always on the top of our head, an temperature reach 35 celsius....

[cowscankill]

Ooooh! Brilliant! So in theory, anything that uses electricity to produce heat can use heat to produce electricity?

[riverreaper]

dam thats alota work , think ill go to the store an buy a new one that if i burn up in the prosses they back the product an my sole surviver can go back an get a new one , what about this one http://www.instructables.com/id/Harnessing-sound-power/
could you rock out get power piss the niebor off an once he steps outside onto the doormat you rebuilt heating with his increasded body heat generate eletric. seens in the winter the ground would be cold ? win win win if nothing elss the rocker chick on the otherside wants to party with you , thats eltric isnt it?

[Padlock]

No. Theoretically, heating an oven will not produce electricity. Logically, heating an oven will not produce electricity. Period, heating an oven will not produce electricity. Ever.

[theawesomeninja]

but a motor can be spun in turn to create electricity, but that's a bit different.

[cowscankill]

Oh, well I have a gas stove, not electric, so I wouldn't think that :P

[Padlock]

;-) Theoretically, heating a toaster will not produce electricity. Logically, heating a toaster will not produce electricity. Period, heating a toaster will not produce electricity. Ever. I've never seen a gas toaster...

[riverreaper]

youve never gone camping i take it there you would have seen a gas toaster there a funny round thing with closehanger looking things to hold the bread in place an they sit ontop your gas burners like a pan would  but these have holes in them wich arnt very good for cooking the egg at the same time but if you take a small coffee can an trim off the bottum art leaveing a lip you can place that inside the toaster provided theres still room for the heat to get past it to the breadslice .  also theres the sqware wire racks you can get at any store were you put bread inside fold it over locking it shut that can be used to cook your steak as well an if your gas runs out its awsum over a fire pit.

[Padlock]

This is not a gas toaster... it's a piece of metal that holds 4 or more pieces of bread.

And, by the way, that picture is disgusting.

I also go camping at least 8 or 9 times a year. Alot. Its funny, because the reason it took me so long to respond was because I just got back from camping.

[Steelsmith1]

Poor Padlock.  I have a "gas toaster"  you can buy them from some camping supplies.  They hold toast so one side toasts, usually 4 slices, then you turn it over.  Sort of a truncated pyrimid device that sits over a gas stove burner.  My Gradfather had one like 80+ years ago he set on a woodstove.  Old concept.

[CybergothiChe]

 I have seen those as well, as well as a toaster attachment for a gas BBQ and a toaster/grill powered by propane.

[Win7Maniac]

Awwww, you're so mean to Padlock.  ;)

[cowscankill]

But I don't own a toaster.

[Padlock]

Work with me here...

[cowscankill]

Heating an incandescent lightbulb won't create light?

[Padlock]

I'd think that if you heated an entire incandesent lightbulb to somewhere along the range of 2000 to 2500 degrees celcius, it woundn't produce any light. Why? The pressure differentials from the vaccuum in the bulb and the atmospheric pressure might be just enough to break the glass at 2000 degrees. Anything above 2300 and the bulb will melt. If you could somehow heat just the filament, then it would create light. Thus, they run on electricity.

[CybergothiChe]

 if you put an incandesent lightbulb in a microwave it will light up

[Padlock]

I wouldn't think so. I'm too afraid to try it, though; I have an expensive microwave.