Development of sheet-metal parabolic-trough reflector panels
Efforts to develop accurate, durable, and mass producible sheet metal parabolic trough solar collectors and the associated support for the collectors are described. The design considered is similar to an automobile hood, a two-piece sheet metal structure consisting of a formed steel frame or stiffening panel and a smooth contoured skin. The two pieces may be bonded or welded to form a rigid structure, and a reflective surface applied such as a film, glass mirror, or any of the presently utilized materials. The work encompassed material selection, adhesive selection and testing, tool design and fabrication, prototype panel production, and design and development of torque tube assemblies on which the trough is inclined. Appended are results of adhesive bonding studies. It is found that high volume technology can be used to produce accurate and structurally sound reflector panels, and one configuration has been selected for fabrication in suitable quantities for performance testing. (LEW)
- Research Organization:
- Budd Co., Fort Washington, PA (USA). Technical Center
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 7148634
- Report Number(s):
- SAND81-7038; ON: DE82016377
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Development effort on sheet-molding compound (SMC) parabolic-trough panels
Material and process screening as applied to a reinforced plastic parabolic trough concentrator module
Related Subjects
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
ADHESIVES
ALLOYS
BONDING
CSP
Concentrating Solar Power
DESIGN
EPOXIDES
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILMS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
JOINING
MANUFACTURING
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MIRRORS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARABOLIC REFLECTORS
PARABOLIC TROUGH REFLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR REFLECTORS
STEELS
SUPPORTS
TOOLS
TUBES
WELDING