What is solar concentrators

The sun - an inexhaustible source of energy. And every day it sends millions of gigawatts to Earth, and the task of mankind is to learn how to collect and use this "free". You are already well aware of solar panels, which are already more than a decade engaged in fishing light. In the same article, I want to tell you about the solar capacitor. So there you go.

How does a solar concentrator

Let's begin our acquaintance with the device product. Thus, the solar concentrator consists of the following components:

1. Focusing or reflecting lenses, which are designed to focus the sun's rays in a certain area.

2. The base on which are mounted the main system components.

3. Solar collector, whose task is to take the concentrated radiation.

4. Pipeline. According to it, there is coolant flow in the collector.

5. A tracking system for the position of the sun and the mechanism that drives the entire structure.

6. Moreover, as additional elements may be present: thermometer, heating circuit pump forced circulation, etc...

How does the installation and its efficiency

In fact, the installation is extremely simple operating principle and concluded that the focus is the solar flux at a specific container in which coolant is present.

After the coolant has absorbed heat is its flow through the pipe system in a special container generating steam (which spins the turbine generator hereinafter) or (i) further coolant is circulated through the system heating.

These settings are effective only when the receiving area is exposed to direct rays of the sun and has only a small Tuchke block access to the sun heating stops.

For this reason, it is advisable to use such facilities in the equatorial regions but in the desert (that is, in our Siberia is useless setting).

The average efficiency ranges from 20% to 30%, the record is considered an indicator of 32%.

Types of installations, their positive and negative sides

But here is the method of concentration are following types of installations:

1. Parabolic trough. Focusing is performed on the light pipe to the carrier.

2. Heliocentric tower plant performance.

3. Parabolic installation.

4. Hubs on spherical lenses.

5. The hub on the flat lens (Fresnel lenses).

It all existing species at the moment, well, now let's find out what are the advantages and disadvantages of these devices.

The advantages of solar concentrators

Of these settings, you can select the following advantages:

In fact, technology is quite young and is now more or less may be used only as a supplement to the existing power grid of large enterprises. In addition, these systems are ideal for local heating of various premises.

disadvantages

Unfortunately, the disadvantages of such products is much larger and most important of them - is the price. Such installations are far from cheap.

The same can be attributed to a lack of technology and complexity. For example, if the solar panel "set and forget", in the case of solar concentrators must be periodic maintenance installation positioning system.

But, despite all the shortcomings, solar concentrators are advanced technology in all alternative energy. A tower installation is already gaining popularity and are so-called field trials. For example, first Chinese geliostantsiya on molten salt.

If engineers will be able to significantly reduce the cost of facilities, then soon they may find its niche in the alternative energy industry.

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