Potential Applications of Concentrated Solar Energy Proceedings of a Workshop (1991) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
4 SESSION 4 - SOLAR PUMPING OF LASERS
4 SESSION 4 - SOLAR PUMPING OF LASERS
Pages 97-108
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 97... ...
However, the implementation of laser isotope separation in its current form requires laser pulses with a fairly low duty cycle. This is a mode of operation in which molar pumped lasers are very inefficient, because the low duty cycle wastes much of the collected solar power.
|
From page 98... ...
For example, semiconductor diode laser pumped solid state lasers powered by molar pumped photoelectric cells may provide stiff competition in the future for direct solar pumping in prospective laser applications. At thin time too little is known about the performance and cost of molar pumped lasers to make meaningful assessments of their suitability for applications or comparisons with other technologies.
|
From page 99... ...
. One can therefore expect renewed interest and increased activity in solar laser", this latest and least developed frontier of solar energy utilization.
|
From page 100... ...
the legitimate conclusion that can be drawn is that the solar laser operates near the Second Law limit of brightness gain. Solar Laser Program at the University of Chicago Sidle Leers The solar laboratory at our university in situated on the roof of the high-energy physics building.
|
From page 101... ...
2 - 1.4, resulting in a 1.13 mm diameter spot. Second, we decided to grind the outer diameter of the laser crystals to match the diameter of the concentrator tip and thereby avoid the lone in concentration due to oversizing of the lamer rod.
|
From page 102... ...
102 working with a slightly lower index solvent such as ethylene glYcol (n 1.43)
|
From page 103... ...
Thus, solar pumping of lasers employing line or band absorption is inefficient because of poor utilization of the optical spectrum. A different concept for a solar-powered laser is presented which utilizer an intermediate blackbody cavity to provide a uniform optical pumping environment for the lasant, typically CO or CO2 or possibly a solid state laser medium.
|
From page 104... ...
These experiments were conducted using cylindrical laser tubes with longitudinal flow, at 1500 K blackbody temperature. Finite optical depth of the pumping radiation and axial flow geometry limited the power of thin system.
|
From page 105... ...
105 MI PROR COLLECTOR AND CONCH - TOR I F~\APE RTU RE I NSU"=D BLACK BODY CAVITY __~\ N~: __- - __ \g~ ~C~RESSOR RADIATOR FIGURE 1 Solar-pumped laser via blackbody cavity. Reprinted with Permission from: University of Washington, Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics it/" BL AC (BODY - ~ S00° ~ FIGURE 2 Thermalization of a nonequilibrium radiation f ield by the blackbody cavity.
|
From page 106... ...
solar spectrum for pumping the iodine laser and found favorable results with t-C4FgI in the threshold pump power, cavity design requirements, and laser output estimates. The references to be cited show that other laser systems using solid, liquid, and Gas phases of laser media are also feasible with the existing molar concentrators of the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI)
|
From page 107... ...
Since these laser systems utilize only a part of the solar spectrum, and the balance is rejected as heat, they are adaptable for cogeneration or a topping/bottoming cycle. The new applications already proposed for concentrated solar photons, such as destruction of hazardous waste, production of renewable fuel (hydrogen by water photolysis)
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.