PRODUCTS 

THE HELIOSTAT SYSTEM

Practical Solar Heliostats use mirrors to reflect sunlight to the desired location (the "target"). The reflected sunlight contains both visible light and thermal energy. A single heliostat delivers the same amount of light as forty 100-watt light bulbs, and the same amount of thermal energy as a space heater on a medium setting. Each heliostat delivers 3,000 times more power than it consumes. In fact, a night light running all night consumes more power than 100 heliostats running all day. Heliostats are already more cost-effective than electricity for space heating and they will soon become competitive with home heating oil.

A Practical Solar Heliostat System consists of:

• Heliostat(s): Mirror Frame + Heliostat Housing

  • The number of Heliostats in a system is determined by the customer. 

• Control System: Software + Driver Box

  • Software is compatible with Microsoft Windows, from 95 to Vista 

  • A Driver Box can control up to 200 Heliostats. 

Each Heliostat is individually targeted and controlled by the software. Thus the Heliostats can direct sunlight to different targets or to a common target for concentrating solar power (CSP) applications. The user has the option of focusing the 8 individual mirrors in each mirror frame on a common spot (a smaller target), resulting in a further increase in solar concentration (about 4X per Heliostat). Thus an array of 100 Heliostats can achieve a concentration of up to 400 Suns on a 2-square-foot target.

Standing alone, the system can be used for natural lighting, "direct" thermal applications, and a wide array of novelty applications. Ancillary products (some of which are still being developed) can be used with our Heliostat array to provide turnkey solutions for space heating, hot water heating, absorption cooling, desalination, various thermal-industrial processes, and generation of electricity.

See more detailed product info on the pages below:

• Heliostats

• Control System

• Mirrors & Miscellaneous Materials – items that customers typically provide themselves

Please contact Practical Solar for information about installation services and pricing.

E-mail info@practicalsolar.com with questions or comments about this web site.  © Practical Solar, Inc. 2008.  All Rights Reserved.  Last modified: 11/20/08.