Lens to produce parallel light rays
Lens to produce parallel light rays
(OP)
I need to produce a lens which can produce a focus infinitely far away, effectively producing rays which are parallel to each other. However the tricky bit comes where:
-the light entering the lens comes from random angles (but only into the desired side)
-preferably the design would be scalable (up to 2m*0.5m)
-the height is not an issue (within reason)
-cost is not an issue
-ideally (this is asking for a bit) the light would leave reasonably evenly spread across the 2m * 0.5m base
-mirrors may be used
It doesn't need to be a design (or even a concept), an evaluation on whether such a system is possible. Should it be, I will pursue this further (and ask for more help?) Otherwise I can just drop it.
Thanks in advance :)
-the light entering the lens comes from random angles (but only into the desired side)
-preferably the design would be scalable (up to 2m*0.5m)
-the height is not an issue (within reason)
-cost is not an issue
-ideally (this is asking for a bit) the light would leave reasonably evenly spread across the 2m * 0.5m base
-mirrors may be used
It doesn't need to be a design (or even a concept), an evaluation on whether such a system is possible. Should it be, I will pursue this further (and ask for more help?) Otherwise I can just drop it.
Thanks in advance :)





RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
The question is, why?
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
How could this be done with school physics? I'm curious, particularly as school is a reasonably recent experience for me.
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
If you want to collimate light that hits an optical element in a relatively small aperture, you need a negative lens. Since the apeture is small, you will not collect much light.
An alternate approach would be to install a large diffuser, and place your element behind that. Your detector will capture a small percentage of the incident light, but if your diffuser is large, you may wind up being more sensitive.
If you are serious about this, you should be talking to a qualified optical designer.
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
B> Student posting is not allowed
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RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
The first thing that comes to mind for this is a plane of microlenses molded into the appropriate material. Multiple lens types can be created either by layering panels, or with some creative molding processes, made into a single panel. Nothing complicated in the idea, per se...
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
Light refracted by the atmosphere that would be collected by even a 2m diameter lens would effectively be collimated.
Likewise, light reflected off the ground and then the atmosphere that reaches your lens would effectively be collimated.
Therefore, you don't need a lens. I'm not being facetious, but I don't have any more to go on that what you've said, and it sounds like you're trying to maximize the solar energy collected by a solar panel. You can't do much better than a flat panel (I think Solyandra used a kind of cylindrical collector, which increased the gain because the light passed through more than one surface).
Can you provide more guidance about what you're trying to accomplish?
Rob Campbell, PE
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
While light from the sun may be considered collimated by the time it reaches us, those rays are only perpendicular to a fixed-position panel only for a short time period. If the panel is ray angle sensitive, this will not do.
While atmosphere-reflected/refracted light from a specific point in the sky might be considered collimated, one cannot say the same about the light rays coming in from all directions.
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
In my first post, I mentioned Solyandra, but didn't have the right understanding of their technology. Based on this page describing their approach - htt
Rob
Rob Campbell, PE
Imagitec: Imagination - Expertise - Execution
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RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
Again, in terms of praticality, it would make much more sense to tilt the panel.
Rob Campbell, PE
Imagitec: Imagination - Expertise - Execution
imagitec.net
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
On that same token, a cylindrical panel would only have light rays perpendicular to it along one "slice", with the slice changing as the sun moves across it. Doesn't seem any more efficient than a similar-sized flat panel... the cylindrical panel will be mildly efficient throughout the day, whereas the flat panel will have peak efficiency at only one point in the day. Sounds like they're robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
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RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
It's all academic at this point... no pun intended.
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
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RE: Lens to produce parallel light rays
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