Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by ZenoArrow on Thursday June 30, 2016 @03:53AM
(#12007153)
I like this. Imagine if you took something like this to the desert, you could have the means to convert sand into silicon without needing to use a locally-sourced fuel to generate the required heat (For what it's worth, I realise the sand that goes into silicon wafer production usually has to be purer than commonly-found sand, but I still think this production method may prove useful, perhaps for the silicon that goes into solar panels).
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You mean like this?
It's an artist's project but he IS melting sand.
Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by semi-extrinsic on Thursday June 30, 2016 @05:59AM
(#12007534)
Solar panel silicon purity is above 99.98%, and often significantly closer to 100%.
Here's a study on "how impure silicon can we use for solar panels", and they only go up to 100 ppm feedstock impurity:
https://www.ecn.nl/news/item/how-silicon-purity-affects-the-...
Edit: should be "above 99.998%".
Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by JoelBennett on Thursday June 30, 2016 @10:21AM
(#12008718)
Would bricks or roads created from melted sand be stable enough? This is something I've thought about as well. There are parts of the world that have lots of sunlight and lots of sand. Imagine being able to 3D print roads and buildings out of melted sand. I think the idea has some merit that needs further exploration.
Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by silicon123 on Thursday June 30, 2016 @04:08AM
(#12007202)
you would still need carbon for reducing the silicon dioxide into silicon
Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by Frenchgeek on Thursday June 30, 2016 @05:56AM
(#12007526)
Burn magnesium in carbon dioxyde captured from the air then electrolyse the magnesium oxyde to get useable magnesium back?
Plant some trees, make charcoal?
Re:The Godzilla of Solar Ovens
by Frenchgeek on Thursday June 30, 2016 @07:52AM
(#12007868)
A bit difficult to do if we're in a desert, I think...