Since we talked about this in chat and some of you were interested I figured I'd post up a pdf on how to make Solar Ice.

wow thats kewl...

I agree, COOL (pun most certainly intended).

What do you plan to use your 20ft long ice maker for, Brain?

I want to develop a continuous operation ammonia/hydrogen rig for air conditioning and refrigeration purposes.

Sounds like a neat project!

Any way to downsize the reflector/collector parts without loosing a lot of efficiency?

Yeah he used galvanized steel. By using mylar the reflector should be half the size.

Just a thought... Came to me today at work.

How about combining a mirror finish, a dish, maybe some lenses, and a super conductive heat absorber, to almost lasor this idea into tiny?

I only ask this of you because of your thorough knowledge of virtually all the above technologies. I can dream, but my background is much more mechanical.

Mark

Can be done. The temp at the focus tries to approach the temp on the sun.

Cool brain. You can make alot of shaved Ice cones with that pupy

LOL... Thats a big snow cone maker.... I think its really cool what people can figure out to make.

Questions for you Brain

What is mylar?

why will it be smaller, is mylar more refective? Do you mean it will be 3.5 foot across insteat of 7 foot?

This is really cool, i want to build one but a few things im nor sure on

Mylar is a metalized plastic sheeting. It will reflect about 98% of the light that hits it.

http://www.discount-hydro.com/mylar.asp

Cheap giant mirrored surfaces. I was planning on building mine from a single sheet of 4 x 8 covered with mylar. Alas, Lumenlab has taken all of my time so maybe next year.

98% !?

Is there any way to use this stuff as the FS mirror in the folded projectors?
(Maybe stretched over a piece of glass to keep it flat)

Seems like a very good reflection / loss ratio if it could be made distortion free enough to use as an optical mirror.

We've considered it. There are mylar mirrors used for optical purposes.

Seems like this could be a nice application for all of those "bad" field fresnels, hmm?

Or maybe,
use the fresnels for lumenlab DIY grilling.

http://www.armory.com/~images/?s=solsticeCook2001


R

If the heat tries to approach even Floridas heat ( which is where I am ) I feel sorry for the mylar. It will melt Im sure.

Ive seen the heat from the sun here , melt solid 4 inch pvc in to damn near a puddle and I ve seen it warp steel and copper pipe to the point where you would think the next step is melt down. Also melting solder joints etc, its a mess when you see these home made water heaters on the roof in melt down.

Pretty cool.

Same system RV refrigerators use, but with a different heat source.

One of the products I sell is Mylar. Not offering or selling here, just informing.

It's Type A, 10 mil, temperature resistant to about 350F with approx 1-1.5 total shrinkage. Used for conveyance in hot press applications in my industry. There are many kinds and types per application.
John

Any body put a temp probe at the focal point of a fresnal to see how hot it gets?

Sounds like a good way to melt your temp probe

That was my first thought too.


R

nice

Is anyone still around for this post? How much ammonia does this thing use every month? I am interested but a little hesitant to try it out...

I guess after 2 years, you guys just sort of disappear....Sorry for being just a little late...

Anyone make one of these yet????

I've been working on my own variation of the STEVEN design. I came across the article a few years ago and ended up sorting it on the top of my pile of alternative resource designs. I'm still trying to work out some of the kinks and find the right variant design that will sustain ice production throughout the day.

by Justin Frost

www.myspace.com/frosthazard

For the giant ice maker thing, you can easily make a large Mylar mirror. Take a 55 gallon drum, cut it to whatever depth is suitable and weld a base onto it. Add an air-tight port such as an air valve off a tyre. Now stretch the mylar over the top and seal it on. Best way to do this is unknown, but I'd try getting a clean flat surface, laying out the mylar, putting silicone sealant around the edge of the drum (which must be smooth!) and place it carefully on the mylar sheet. Leave it to cure.

Once sorted, turn it over and reduce the internal pressure to get a concave mirror to your requirements.

Obviously you could use anything you like as long as it is round.

The Mylar won't melt due to the heat of the sun, as it cools so fast as it is a very thin sheet. Plus, the real heat isn't at the sheet, its at the focal point.

Hi
I and my partner recently left wet and dreary England to live in the jungles of belize where we are working towards fodd and power self sufficiency. We plan to build the solar ice maker next year and as neither of us has a scientific/engineering background I was really glad to come across this forum. Reducing the size of the reflector and extending the system to serve as a cooling room for vegetables and dairy products are of prime interest for us. I would appreciate any ideas on 'how to' or shared experiences of the practicalities and effects of any modifications to the original STEVEN's model.