Habanabasa
A impressively quick reply!
I have read K. Browne’s paper and in a nut shell he shows that for the two geometries studied, the target had a larger surface area than the sending object. Consequently the targets emitted all that they received from the emitter without raising their temperatures. My design is different in that the target is smaller than the emitter and so will receive a concentration of photons as envisaged by Sudhir Panse. Browne does not cover this eventuality even though he says that other geometries may be found, This is why I am still pursing it. Unless I learn something new that explains why it shouldn’t work, I will continue making the device. I expect to complete the device in the next 2 months when all my questions will be answered. If it doesn't work I shall still be looking for answers LOL
I have often heard the answer that the second law of thermodynamics says it can’t be done. People who say this have been unable to tell me why it won’t work or have some spurious illogical answer. There may well be a reason deep down in the realm of quantum mechanics why it won’t work but I have not heard it yet.
I suggest that the second law of thermodynamics was created from 300 or so years of empirical observation and is not tied to any mathematical proof. This leaves it open to future findings.
Your suggestions are welcome and may save me a great deal of work and expense.
As I said, my math may be wrong but here goes :
I used this site to compute the energy collected at the emitter :
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/thermo/stefan.html#c3
As I only want the energy emitted, not the net difference between two bodies, I used a T cold of 0K and a T hot of 300K with a collector area of 153.94 sq mm
(oops found my error - I put in 153.94 sq cm not 153.94 sq mm)
Collector collects 0.0707037 watts
I would need 1,000,000 / 153.94 collectors to get 1 sq m = 6,496.12 collectors
# of collectors * watts per collector = 0.0707037 * 6,496.12 = 459.27 watts or 0.62 HP
That certainly looks more reasonable, thanks for the pointer.
At this (now corrected ) rate it looks like the emitted energy is just under half that of the solar energy per unit area. The difference however is that radiant energy runs 24/7 and is not reliant on latitude or cloud cover and so is still a very attractive goal.