The Hot-Line Solar Collector

Great idea! Where can I get these materials? I have a great idea of how to apply this.
thanks.

I have worked on a simpler very inexpensive design for a parabolic trough, and its production approach could be used for the reflector in this one. (I see even molding the Styrofoam as a production expense one should work around if possible--that much foam is not needed--and I am looking for a durable reflecting medium more along the line of metalized polyester--although it might want to be in strips installed with a narrow central adhesive bead lengthwise, to prevent thermal distortions--or stretched between small springs lengthwise.)

Thus far I've developed models of simple molds for the basic structure of a parabolic trough, basically out of cardboard, Styrofoam and light drywall compound, and then bent / glued two skins of some kind of paper--manila folder stock, etc.--over this mold with a layer of the CORRUGATED style of paper honeycomb in between. This type of honeycomb will mold around a curve, whereas the diamond-shape or "Hex-cell" honeycomb will not.

Once you have a good mold, the honeycomb material is cheap, one can use any quality of skin one wants, from very durable fiberglass (already in thin sheet or laid up within the process) on down, and anyone in a neighborhood / community can ante up for the honeycomb, and pick whatever quality skin they can afford and figure out a way to protect for as long as they want to protect it for, while jointly working on alternative reflective surfaces, pointing mechanisms, and so on. Some long, narrow format of photocells has to be found if you are into direct electricity, and you would want to heat water via a tubular heatsink running behind them.

This approach to a collector trough can be done at any level of precision (pretty crude is good for photo electrics, otherwise you risk burning them up!), and can be scaled up quite simply to, potentially, some huge, lightweight- cement- skinned units that are rotated on a floating lid which sits on top of a large storage tank. In a dry area that&

Hmmm, someone comes up with a way to make solar energy more
efficient, and they disappear... Its the government Mulder. Trust
no one.

I too have had no luck finding more information on this however if
if I should I will most certainly post it here and hope you will do
the same. Here's to us finding some answers.

Hi Chatur. I'm in the same boat as well. I've tried to find more
information on this design with no luck. Maybe you could do a
patent search to find who owns the rights to the design. The NRG
corp doesn't seem to be around any longer either, nor does Dan
Lightfoot's Aerco company. I tried using a people finder to locate
any 'D' Lightfoot in the general area of Sigourney, Iowa but
nothing looked promising. I even tried looking up the "Gordon
Russell Enterprises" pictured in one of the article's photos.
Another approach might be to find out who authored the article and
talk to him/her. If you find anything let me know. Thanks, Todd B.

The article on Hotline Solar collector is very interesting. I have
been trying to get more information on this type of collector but
in vain. There is no trace of either NRG Corp. or Aerco, Iowa, all
net searches lead only to this very article. What I am keen to know
is what happened to this design, why has it not been commercially
successful. If the design is truly very efficient it should have
proliferated as space constraints are a really the bane of most
Solar energy based energy solutions. The most imteresting feature
of this design was its ability to track the sun while itself being
stationery. Can you throw some light on this topic.I know the
design is very old but all flat plate solar collectors still sport
the same "old" designs except using modern manufacturing process.
Eagerly awaiting your reply. Thank you. Chatur Das