A group of scientists with the Nanyang University of Technology in Singapore developed and transmitted a tool for harvesting light in the underground. Here are the complete details on the new smart device capable to harvest sunlight designed by NTU scientists.
They did so by imitating the way a lens is used to concentrate sunlight on a single point. The system is designed for NTU’s Photonics Institute’s Assistant Prof. Yoo Seongwoo from the School of Electrical and Electronics Enginery and Dr. Charu Goel.
The team turned to the lighter glass, which could rely on the sunshine, to construct a daylight harvesting system to satisfy the demand sustainably. They used a single plastic fiber, a kind of cable that holds a ray of light from end to end, and computer chip-assisted engines.
The unit is situated above the ground and, like the lens of a lens, acrylic ball functions like the solar concentration device, causing parallel sunlight to sharply focus on its opposite side.
The concentrated sunlight is stored in a fiber cable end and delivered to the underground end. The fiber cable then transmits light directly from the end.
Image Credits: straitstimes.com
At the same time, small motors supported by computer chips change the direction of the collection end of the fiber automatically to optimize the amount of solar light to be collected and transported as the sun is moving through the sky.
The regular harvesting system was planned and reported in the science journal Solar Energy by assistant professor Yoo Seongwoo from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Dr. Charu Goel, Senior Research Fellow at Nanyang Technical University The Photonics Institute.
The team is looking forward to solving the shortcomings of today’s solar pickup technologies.
The large, curved mirrors are driven by heavy-duty motors to align the mirrors with the sun in traditional solar concentrations. Also, environmental influences such as moisture and growing maintenance needs are present in the elements in these structures.
Compact equipment sufficient for lamp mounting
As Professor Yoo, study’s leading author, “Our breakthrough includes market-displayed fabrics, making it possible to manufacture on a large scale.
We have deliberately developed the light day harvesting device lightweight and compact because of space limitations in densely populated cities. This makes it possible for our equipment to be built into current urban networks.”
The NTU team thinks that the system is suitable for placement on the floor as a traditional lamp bench. This will allow the invention to be used two ways: using a mechanism for the harvesting of sunlight in the daytime to illuminate underground spaces and using electricity at night.
NTU scientists’ study is an example of NTU’s vision of Smart Campus to develop technologically innovative technologies for a prosperous future.
Automatic ‘wise’ positioning for sunlight for harvest
The location of the concentrated sunlight inside the acrylic ball would just be like the sun moves over the sky during the day. The device uses a computer chip-based method to monitor sunlight to ensure the full amount of sunlight is obtained and transferred during the day.
The Global Positioning System (GPS) unit location co-ordinate is pre-charged into the system so that the point at which maximum sunlight can be concentrated is determined at any given moment.
Two small motors will then be used to change the location automatically to capture and move sunlight from the focused area at an interval of one minute.
Pairs of sensors that measure light glow are also positioned around the fiber cord sunlight collection end to provide the unit with an automatic positioning ability.
Incompatibility with light measuring sensors can be detected by the small motors automatically trigger the cable to change the direction until the sensor values are identical. This shows that the fiber can reach the highest possible amount of sunlight.
When the sun is insufficient to absorb and transport underground during rain or cloudy skies, and energy-driven LED lamp will immediately illuminate next to the fiber cable emitting end. This means that the unit will continuously light up underwater spaces all day long.
