3X compound parabolic concentrating (CPC) solar energy collector. Final technical report

Technical Report · Fri Apr 25 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5415147· OSTI ID:5415147

Ballheim, R. W.

Chamberlain engineers designed a 3X compound parabolic concentrating (CPC) collector for the subject contract. The collector is a completely housed, 105.75 x 44.75 x 10.23-inch, 240-pound unit with six each evacuated receiver assemblies, a center manifold and a one-piece glass cover. A truncated version of a CPC trough reflector system and the General Electric Company tubular evacuated receiver have been integrated with a mass producible collector design suitable for operation at 250 to 450/sup 0/F. The key criterion for optimization of the design was minimization of the cost per Btu collected annually at an operating temperature of 400/sup 0/F. The reflector is a 4.1X design truncated to a total height of 8.0 inches with a resulting actual concentration ratio of 2.6 to 1. The manifold is an insulated area housing the fluid lines which connect the six receivers in series with inlet and outlet tubes extending from one side of the collector at the center. The reflectors are polished, anodized aluminum which are shaped by the roll form process. The housing is painted, galvanized steel, and the cover glass is 3/16-inch thick tempered, low iron glass. The collector requires four slope adjustments per year for optimum effectiveness. Chamberlain produced ten 3X CPC collectors for the subject contract. Two collectors were used to evaluate assembly procedures, six were sent to the project officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one was sent to Argonne National Laboratory for performance testing and one remained with the Company. A manufacturing cost study was conducted to estimate limited mass production costs, explore cost reduction ideas and define tooling requirements. The final effort discussed shows the preliminary design for application of a 3X CPC solar collector system for use in the Iowa State Capitol complex.

• Research Organization: Chamberlain Mfg. Corp., Waterloo, IA (USA). Research and Development Div.
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-78CS04239
• OSTI ID: 5415147
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/04239-T1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM
COMPOUND PARABOLIC CONCENTRATORS
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
COST
COVERINGS
DESIGN
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EVACUATED COLLECTORS
EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
GLASS
GLAZING MATERIALS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MANUFACTURING
MATERIALS
METALS
OPTIMIZATION
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
STEELS
TESTING