Im designing a Linear Fresnel collector system, and wanted to know what type of mirrors would be suitable for use as the reflectors. Thickness, type, coating etc. I couldnt find a manufacturer of ''tempered mirrors'' where I live. I need it to be able to resist hail and the elements and have a life of 20-25 years. Can the experts help me out. Thanks.
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$\begingroup$ If you want to make your own reflectors, you might get some ideas here: youtube.com/watch?v=8CLRTa_ocmo $\endgroup$– Solar MikeMar 13, 2021 at 9:00
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The solar mirror wiki has a good discussion on this. It will be a question of economics in your area.
How much does the footprint (land area) cost? If land is not expensive it is probably better to go without exotic coatings.
Also how dirty is the area it will operate. If fouling from dust is an issue it would again be better to focus on more area rather than high efficiency.
As far a resisting hail, that is also an economics question. At some point hail can break windows and damage cars. Solar PV panels are generally covered by a home owners insurance. You can probably find similar insurance for your application as large hail is fairly rare. PV panels are generally ~3mm thick tempered glass; this would be a good target thickness for falling in the same insurance risk window.
It is possible to chemically silver your own mirrors. Definitely reach out to vendors in your area first for price quotes on tempered mirrors, but know that you do have the option to diy it if needed. Usually your local glass shop has supplier that can provide custom orders. If you are doing a very large project ($10000+) though you may want to do some extra research to cut out the middle man and purchase wholesale.
answered Mar 13, 2021 at 6:26