3M's Renewable Energy Division and Gossamer Space Frames have unveiled what they claim is the world's largest aperture parabolic trough solar collector. Called the Large Aperture Trough (LAT) 73, it has an aperture size of 7.3m, and a concentration factor of more than 100x, which the companies say are world benchmarks.
3M and Gossamer designed the LAT 73 to cut the equipment and installation costs of concentrated solar power (CSP) systems. The demonstration system is fully operational, and has been installed at the Sunray Energy facility in Daggett, Calif., which is owned by Cogentrix Energy. This facility is the longest operating CSP facility in the US. The demonstration CSP solar collector system reduces the installed cost of a parabolic trough solar field by more than 25 percent.
A new large aperture parabolic trough solar collector is designed to significantly reduce equipment and installation costs for concentrated solar power (CSP systems used in utility-scale power generation). (Source: 3M)
The new CSP collector system has been operating since October of last year. At peak output, it provides about 275kw of electricity to the total output of the Sunray Energy facility, which is contracted to Southern California Edison. The collector system utilizes the durability, design flexibility, and high reflectivity of 3M Solar Mirror Film 1100 reflector panels.
Solar Mirror Film 1100 is a silver, adhesive-backed, metalized reflective film designed specifically for CSP, concentrating photovoltaic and solar thermal installations. Compared to glass mirrors, it has higher reflectivity, improved mechanical properties, and 50 percent lower weight. Total hemispherical reflectivity is 94.5 percent, which declines to 93 percent after 14 years of weathering, according to 3M's extensive testing. Specular reflectivity is 95.5 percent, and the material weighs 332g per square meter.
The highly accurate, large aperture collector design of the LAT 73 is enabled by a combination of the film's superior optical performance and light weight. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has verified the system's performance, measuring it at an optical accuracy of greater than 99 percent, according to 3M.
Should be less maintenance than coal plants which have solids handling systems but no better than gas plants which have commonalities in terms of converting steam to electricty but differ in how they generate the steam and recover lower grade energy. There is a huge difference in the land usage....a 2GW coal plant was proposed near my town and its footprint was tiny compared what any solar plant would require. There are huge economies of scale in power generation which is why we don't have pervasive household scale natural gas fired generators. People sometimes use them for backup but those systems are not robust enough for 24/7/365 operation. Solar is struggling with cost effectiveness and there may be a great opportunity for a well built standardized household scale modular unit with minimal installation cost using solar concentration for combined household electric, hot water, and heating. This would gain efficiency by saving on distribution costs and losses but would need either built-in storage (geothermal?) or interconnect with the grid for backup (and sell excess). I was in China and most rural houses have solar collectors that are used for hot water, maybe for household heat too, but those systems don't generate electricity.
Ann, The Kimerlina site uses CLFR (Compact linear fresnel reflective) technology to concentrate the sun's rays on pipes filled with an oil. The oil is used to heat water in a boiler to turn steam turbines for power generation. There is actually a pretty nice write-up in Wikipedia and a link to the company's promotional video "Tech Tour" of the plant that has some aerial views that give a sense of scale.
Scott, thanks for letting us know. 3M's photo makes the installation look huge and it's hard to get a sense of scale, so I thought nit would be cool to get input from someone who's actually seen an LAT. Any idea what type the Kimberlina facility is?
Ann, after a little research it seems that the solar power plant that I see frequently in my trips through Bakersfield are part of the Kimberlina solar power generating facility. This is a 5MW plant that has been operating since 2008. Power plants used to look like concrete boxes with tall smokestacks. This looks more like a cross between a spider web and an industrial process plant - all out in the open. At 70 mph on the freeway, it goes by pretty quickly, but it's still fascinating to see.
Scott, do you mean you've actually driven by the Sunray Energy facility in San Berdoo county? If so, and you every have a chance to stop and take a look, let us know what your impressions are, OK? Thanks.
TJ - You're absolutely right. To make the most of our resources, there is no one solution. It takes whatever appropriate technology makes the most sense - tied together through a smart grid. On a personal note, I've chanced to drive by the facility many times and always wondered what it was all about. Now I know. Thanks.
Don't worry, Warren, California isn't bankrupt yet; that's just the annual budget exercise you're watching. Meanwhile, that's an intriguing point you make about the ocean: it does store a huge amount of energy in the form of wave motion. I've read in the past about attempts to harness that energy. Does anyone know what the status is of those attempts?
TJ, I agree in general with your topographical analysis of alternative energy methods. California is actually three different states, when it comes to that division. I live in the PNW-like sector. In the southeast, we've got the desert, and then there's the very long coast.
What's the relative cost of ownership/maintenance of this type of solar technology when compared to other fossil fuel technologies? Are these units durable with few moving parts to break or do they typically have on-going maintenance issues?
Using almost 200 light-emitting diodes in the front and back of the new 2014 CTS, Cadillac designers are showing how LEDs can change the character of a vehicle.
We looked at a number of sources to determine this year's greenest cars, from KBB to automotive trade magazines to environmental organizations. These 14 cars emerged as being great at either stretching fuel or reducing carbon footprint.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 3
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
1 
