U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One
Abstract
Wind loading is a main contributor to structural design costs of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collectors, such as heliostats and parabolic troughs. These structures must resist the mechanical forces generated by turbulent wind. At the same time, the reflector surfaces must exhibit the necessary rigidity to maintain their optimal optical performance in windy conditions. Over two years, NREL conducted comprehensive field measurements of the atmospheric turbulent wind conditions and the resulting structural wind loads on parabolic troughs at the Nevada Solar One (NSO) plant. The measurement set-up included meteorological masts and structural load sensors on four trough rows. Additionally, we commissioned a lidar scanning the horizontal plane over the trough field. This data set catalogs the high-resolution data set characterizing the complex flow field and resulting structural loads on parabolic trough collectors. By providing this first-of-its-kind data set to the CSP community, we aim to enhance the community's understanding of wind-loading experienced by CSP collector structures. This data set will also help design next-generation solar collectors and photovoltaic trackers.
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Publication Date:
- Other Number(s):
- 5938
- Research Org.:
- DOE Open Energy Data Initiative (OEDI); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office (EE-4S)
- Collaborations:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
- Subject:
- Array; CSP; Concentrated Solar; Nevada Solar One; Structural Loading; Wind; data; energy; flow field; optimal optical performance; parabolic trough; power; processed data; solar; solar collector; solar power; structural design; structural load; wind conditions; wind impact; wind load
- OSTI Identifier:
- 2001061
- DOI:
- https://doi.org/10.25984/2001061
Citation Formats
Egerer, Ulrike, Dana, Scott, Stanislawski, Brooke, Jager, David, Xia, Geng, and Yellapantula, Shashank. Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One. United States: N. p., 2021.
Web. doi:10.25984/2001061.
Egerer, Ulrike, Dana, Scott, Stanislawski, Brooke, Jager, David, Xia, Geng, & Yellapantula, Shashank. Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One. United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.25984/2001061
Egerer, Ulrike, Dana, Scott, Stanislawski, Brooke, Jager, David, Xia, Geng, and Yellapantula, Shashank. 2021.
"Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One". United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.25984/2001061. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/2001061. Pub date:Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2021
@article{osti_2001061,
title = {Wind and Structural Loads on Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors at Nevada Solar One},
author = {Egerer, Ulrike and Dana, Scott and Stanislawski, Brooke and Jager, David and Xia, Geng and Yellapantula, Shashank},
abstractNote = {Wind loading is a main contributor to structural design costs of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) collectors, such as heliostats and parabolic troughs. These structures must resist the mechanical forces generated by turbulent wind. At the same time, the reflector surfaces must exhibit the necessary rigidity to maintain their optimal optical performance in windy conditions. Over two years, NREL conducted comprehensive field measurements of the atmospheric turbulent wind conditions and the resulting structural wind loads on parabolic troughs at the Nevada Solar One (NSO) plant. The measurement set-up included meteorological masts and structural load sensors on four trough rows. Additionally, we commissioned a lidar scanning the horizontal plane over the trough field. This data set catalogs the high-resolution data set characterizing the complex flow field and resulting structural loads on parabolic trough collectors. By providing this first-of-its-kind data set to the CSP community, we aim to enhance the community's understanding of wind-loading experienced by CSP collector structures. This data set will also help design next-generation solar collectors and photovoltaic trackers.},
doi = {10.25984/2001061},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2021},
month = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2021}
}