4 ms·

How much would such a coating reduce the efficiency of the panel though? I’m seriously asking btw, I don’t know the answer or very much about PV panels.

14 8y ago
That seems to be the fantastic part of this motor. Even if you traded off almost all efficiency in order for protectiveness of the material instead, this machine runs on such a low power you could make those trade offs. What you could use this motor for I am unsure.
- Pharmakon 8y ago
  Too cool. Hey, could these bearings be used in something like a water wheel or windmill? I realize the technology isn’t there yet, but if it could then really you’d could have lowered maintenance costs, slightly increased efficiency, and probably a lot less noise.
  - MrEldritch 8y ago
    >technology isn't there yet In what sense? >lowered maintenance costs Not really, actually - hydrodynamic bearings already work on the "zero wear due to zero surface contact" principle. The reason this is using magnetic bearings is just because it needs super-super low friction, under super-tiny loads, in order to work. >Probably a lot less noise Bearings aren't generally noisy. If they were, they wouldn't be very good bearings!
    - Pharmakon 8y ago
      I stand massively corrected on all fronts, thanks!
- jaytaylor 8y ago
  The energy required is so small, I wonder if you could use a thermoelectric generator utilizing some tinfoil half in the sun and half in the shade. Maybe such a design could last longer than a solar panel based one.
jws 8y ago
Only about 5% of the Sun's energy, as filtered by Earth's atmosphere, is ultraviolet. You can block it all with negligible efficiency loss at your solar panel. I'm not sure about UV filters that will be stable for 1000 years. Regular glass blocks most UV, but lets through about 25% of the frequencies close to blue. For museum and artwork protection time frames acrylic is popular. It blocks almost all UV and is still stable after 25 years. I don't know how that extrapolates to 1000 years.

14 8y ago

That seems to be the fantastic part of this motor. Even if you traded off almost all efficiency in order for protectiveness of the material instead, this machine runs on such a low power you could make those trade offs. What you could use this motor for I am unsure.

Pharmakon 8y ago
Too cool. Hey, could these bearings be used in something like a water wheel or windmill? I realize the technology isn’t there yet, but if it could then really you’d could have lowered maintenance costs, slightly increased efficiency, and probably a lot less noise.
- MrEldritch 8y ago
  >technology isn't there yet In what sense? >lowered maintenance costs Not really, actually - hydrodynamic bearings already work on the "zero wear due to zero surface contact" principle. The reason this is using magnetic bearings is just because it needs super-super low friction, under super-tiny loads, in order to work. >Probably a lot less noise Bearings aren't generally noisy. If they were, they wouldn't be very good bearings!
  - Pharmakon 8y ago
    I stand massively corrected on all fronts, thanks!
jaytaylor 8y ago
The energy required is so small, I wonder if you could use a thermoelectric generator utilizing some tinfoil half in the sun and half in the shade. Maybe such a design could last longer than a solar panel based one.

jws 8y ago

Only about 5% of the Sun's energy, as filtered by Earth's atmosphere, is ultraviolet. You can block it all with negligible efficiency loss at your solar panel. I'm not sure about UV filters that will be stable for 1000 years. Regular glass blocks most UV, but lets through about 25% of the frequencies close to blue. For museum and artwork protection time frames acrylic is popular. It blocks almost all UV and is still stable after 25 years. I don't know how that extrapolates to 1000 years.