Participation in multilateral effort to develop high performance integrated CPC evacuated collectors. [Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC)]

Technical Report · Sun May 31 00:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7296012· OSTI ID:7296012

Winston, R; O'Gallagher, J J

The University of Chicago Solar Energy Group has had a continuing program and commitment to develop an advanced evacuated solar collector integrating nonimaging concentration into its design. During the period from 1985--1987, some of our efforts were directed toward designing and prototyping a manufacturable version of an Integrated Compound Parabolic Concentrator (ICPC) evacuated collector tube as part of an international cooperative effort involving six organizations in four different countries. This multilateral'' project made considerable progress towards a commercially practical collector. One of two basic designs considered employed a heat pipe and an internal metal reflector CPC. We fabricated and tested two large diameter (125mm) borosilicate glass collector tubes to explore this concept. The other design also used a large diameter (125mm) glass tube but with a specially configured internal shaped mirror CPC coupled to a U-tube absorber. Performance projections in a variety of systems applications using the computer design tools developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) task on evacuated collectors were used to optimize the optical and thermal design. The long-term goal of this work continues to be the development of a high efficiency, low cost solar collector to supply solar thermal energy at temperatures up to 250{degree}C. Some experience and perspectives based on our work are presented and reviewed. Despite substantial progress, the stability of research support and the market for commercial solar thermal collectors were such that the project could not be continued. A cooperative path involving university, government and industrial collaboration remains the most attractive near term option for developing a commercial ICPC.

• Research Organization: Chicago Univ., IL (United States). Enrico Fermi Inst.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-86SF16592
• OSTI ID: 7296012
• Report Number(s): DOE/SF/16592-T1; ON: DE92015946
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
EVACUATED TUBE COLLECTORS
COORDINATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS
DESIGN
GLASS
HEAT PIPES
PROGRESS REPORT
SOLAR ABSORBERS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION
TESTING
TUBES
CONVERSION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY CONVERSION
EQUIPMENT
EVACUATED COLLECTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
141000* - Solar Collectors & Concentrators