Parabolic Dish Concentrator (PDC-1)

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6334126

Dennison, E W; Argoud, M J

The design, construction, and installation of the Parabolic Dish Concentrator, Type 1 (PDC-1) has been one of the most significant JPL concentrator projects because of the knowledge gained about this type of concentrator and the development of design, testing, and analysis procedures which are applicable to all solar concentrator projects. The need for these procedures was more clearly understood during the testing period which started with the prototype panel evaluation and ended with the performance characterization of the completed concentrator. For each phase of the test program, practical test procedures were required and these procedures defined the mathematical analysis which was essential for successful concentrator development. The concentrator performance appears to be limited only by the distortions resulting from thermal gradients through the reflecting panels. Simple optical testing can be extremely effective, but comprehensive mechanical and optical analysis is essential for cost effective solar concentrator development.

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6334126
• Report Number(s): N-84-28226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CONCENTRATORS
DESIGN
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PARABOLIC DISH COLLECTORS
PARABOLIC REFLECTORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR REFLECTORS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TESTING