Design of the support structure, drive pedestal, and controls for a solar concentrator
- WG Associates, Dallas, TX (United States)
The glass/metal McDonnell-Douglas dish is the state-of-the-art of parabolic dish concentrators. Because of the perceived high production cost of this concentrator, the Department of Energy's Solar Thermal Program is developing stretch-membrane technology for large (75 kWt) solar concentrators for integration with receivers and engines in 25 kWe dish-Stirling systems. The objective of this development effort is to reduce the cost of the concentrator while maintaining the high levels of performance characteristic of glass-metal dishes. Under contract to Sandia National Laboratories, Science Applications International Corporation, Solar Kinetics Inc. and WG Associates are developing a faceted stretched-membrane heliostat technology. This design will result in a low-risk, near-term concentrator for dish-Stirling systems. WG Associates has designed the support structure, drives and tracking controls for this dish. The structure is configured to support 12 stretched-membrane, 3.5-meter diameter facets in a shaped dish configuration. The dish design is sized to power a dish-Stirling system capable of producing 25 kW (electric). In the design of the structure, trade-off studies were conducted to determine the best'' facet arrangement, dish contour, dish focal length, tracking control and walk-off protection. As part of the design, in-depth analyses were performed to evaluate pointing accuracy, compliance with AISC steel design codes, and the economics of fabrication and installation. Detailed fabrication and installation drawings were produced, and initial production cost estimates for the dish were developed. These issues, and the final dish design, are presented in this report. 7 refs., 33 figs., 18 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); WG Associates, Dallas, TX (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5301520
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-91-7007; ON: DE92000604
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Testing of the prototype facets for the stretched-membrane faceted dish
The DOE Solar Thermal Electric Program Concentrator Technology Project
Related Subjects
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
DESIGN
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DIMENSIONS
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MEMBRANES
SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION
SOLAR TRACKING SYSTEMS
CONVERSION
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
HELIOSTATS
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR TRACKING
CSP
Concentrating Solar Power
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators
140700 - Solar Thermal Power Systems