Solar Thermal Electrical Generation: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 15:30, 6 August 2008
Introduction
We are building a solar thermal concentrator electrical generation system prototype at Factor e Farm, starting in mid August. We have a Google group organized around this, and a development wiki here.
Some of the highlights are shown in the description below
(Linked from Solar_Turbine)
Email Group
Join the Solar Turbine email group
Introduction
We are building a replicable solar thermal concentrator electric power system - on the kW scale. The closest system that we found to our design is:
Source. We should identify and contact the designers.
Design Drawings
The site will be prepared by leveling with a tractor and blade. We are building on the conceptual drawings in Solar Concentrators and Solar_Concentrator_Technical_Drawings:
- Solar Concentrator Foundation - CEB posts are presently our first choice, but we may revert to lumber if technical difficulties arise
- Concentrator Structure - collector tube mounting, slat mounting, connecting posts together
- Mirror Slats - rotation support bearing, bearing mounts, rod, slats, mechanical fasteners
- Tracking - sensor, actuator, gearing
- Solar Concentrator Tube - glazing, insulation and cover, tubing connection, attachment to support structure, alignment mechanism
Reflectors, Collector, and Data Acquisition
Overview. Steam is our preferred choice due to its simplicity. I am not sure whether steam will yield the highest efficiency, but we can optimize this point by going to higher temperatures. Advantage: a sustainable resource. Disadvantage: freezes in winter
Updated Designs
Here is an updated proposition from Ben, end of July, 2008:
Marcin proposes the following implementation:
Additional Information
Background Calculations
It is extremely useful - in order to gain an appreciation of the power available from solar energy - to go through the basic calculations of power yields from our system, and to compare those yields to the energy obtainable from sustainably-harvested biomass energy. See these notes here.