A replaceable reflective film for solar concentrators
The 3M Company manufactures a silvered acrylic film called ECP-305 that is regarded as the preferred reflective film for use on stretched-membrane heliostats. However, ECP-305 will degrade in time, due to both corrosion of the silver layer and delamination at the film's silver-to-acrylic interface, and will eventually need to be replaced. 3M uses a very aggressive adhesive on this film, and once it is laminated, replacement is very difficult. The purpose of this investigation was the development of a replaceable reflector, a reflective film that can be easily removed and replaced. A replaceable reflector was successfully configured by laminating ECP-305 to the top surface of a smooth, dimensionally stable polymer film, with a removable adhesive applied to the underside of the polymer film. Several stages of screening and testing led to the selection of a 0.010-inch thick polycarbonate (GE 8030) as the best polymer film and a medium tack tape (3M Y-9425) was selected as the best removable adhesive. To demonstrate the feasibility of the replaceable reflector concept and to provide a real-time field test, the chosen construction was successfully applied to the 50-m{sup 2} SKI heliostat at the Central Receiver Test Facility at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque. 4 refs., 13 figs., 7 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Industrial Solar Technology, Denver, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5109102
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-91-7006; ON: DE92002936
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
FILMS
ADHESION
REMOVAL
REFLECTIVE COATINGS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
ADHESIVES
DESIGN
HELIOSTATS
MEMBRANES
POLYACRYLATES
POLYCARBONATES
POLYESTERS
POLYETHYLENES
POLYSTYRENE
PVC
SILVER
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
COATINGS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
ESTERS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
METALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYVINYLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
CSP
Concentrating Solar Power
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators
360603 - Materials- Properties
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture