Non-tracking inflated cylindrical solar concentrator

Conference · Tue May 22 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:6212085

Gerich, J W

A concentrating solar collector to produce pressurized hot water up to a temperature of 175/sup 0/C is under develolpment. The collector structure consists mainly of an inflated thin-film plastic cylinder that is clear on the upper portion and is an aluminized reflector on the lower portion. The reflector concentrates sunlight on a receiver tube which is jacketed with a heat transfer suppressing, thin-film plastic cylinder. The first experimental collectors verified performance modeling codes. The second generation collectors now being constructed address cost considerations and ease of fabrication, installation, and maintenance. It was found that the installed cost of the inflated concentrator is likely to be one-fifth that of parabolic trough concentrators. An experimental apparatus was developed to measure the total hemispherical emittance of full size receiver tubes. Test results indicate a rather dramatic increase in the room temperature value at typical concentrator operating temperatures.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6212085
• Report Number(s): UCRL-82721; CONF-790541-12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CYLINDERS
DESIGN
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFLATABLE COLLECTORS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
TUBES
WATER