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Sandia works with its partner laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) located in Golden, Co, in a “virtual laboratory” concept called SunLab. SunLab supports the DOE Concentrating Solar Power Program and U. S. CSP industry by providing: R&D on CSP components and systems, advanced component development, component and systems analysis, Test and evaluation, and supporting market development activities. Listed below are many of the current research and development activities ongoing at Sandia.
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Includes R&D to improve system and component performance of parabolic trough technologies.
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Mirror Alignment Techniques
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 Diver, R.B. and T.A. Moss, 2007, Practical Field Alignment of Parabolic Trough Solar Concentrators, J. Solar Energy Engineering, 129, 153 – 159.
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2009 TOPCAT (Theoretical Overlay Photographic Collector Alignment Technique) Project Summary |
2X Advanced Trough
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Kolb, G.J. and R.B. Diver, 2008, Conceptual Design of an Advanced Trough Utilizing a Molten Salt Working Fluid, SolarPACES Symposium, Las Vegas, NV. |
Molten Salt Freeze/Thaw Testing and Analysis
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Includes R&D relevant to heliostats, receivers, and overall system issues for central-receiver solar plants. Also includes
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Heliostat Analyses and Flux Mapping
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Kolb, G.J et al., 2007, Heliostat Cost Reduction Study, SAND2007-3293, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. |
Strachan J.W. and R.M. Houser, 1993, Testing and Evaluation of Large-Area Heliostats for Solar Thermal Applications, SAND92-1381, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. |
2009 Power Tower Project Summary |
Kolb, G.J. and R.B. Diver, 2008, Conceptual Design of an Advanced Trough Utilizing a Molten Salt Working Fluid, SolarPACES Symposium, Las Vegas, NV. |
Cavity Heat-Loss Analysis
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Siebers, D. and J. Kraabel, New Experiments on Convective Heat Loss, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA. |
Ma, R.Y., 1993, Wind Effects on Convective Heat Loss from a Cavity Receiver for a Parabolic Concentrating Solar Collector, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA. |
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Includes R&D on dish structures, mirrors, optics, and Stirling engines
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Dish/Engine Systems Development
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Andraka, C.E., Dish Stirling Reliability Improvement and Commercialization, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. |
Andraka, C.E., 2008, Cost/Performance Tradeoffs for Reflectors used in Solar Concentrating Dish Systems, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2008, Jacksonville, FL. |
News Release, “Sandia, Stirling Energy Systems set new world record for solar-to-grid conversion efficiency,” Feb. 12, 2008. |
Kolb, G.J. and R.B. Diver, 2008, Conceptual Design of an Advanced Trough Utilizing a Molten Salt Working Fluid, SolarPACES Symposium, Las Vegas, NV. |
Optical Alignment (SOFAST)
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Andraka, C.E., S. Sadlon, B. Myer, K. Trapeznikov, and C. Liebner, 2009, Rapid Reflective Facet Characterization Using Fringe Reflection Techniques, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2009, San Francisco, CA. |
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Includes R&D on heat-transfer fluids and thermal-storage materials to improve performance and availability of CSP systems.
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Heat Transfer Fluids
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Bradshaw, R.W. and N.P. Siegel, 2008, Molten Nitrate Salt Development for Thermal Energy Storage in Parabolic Trough Solar Power Systems, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2008, Jacksonville, FL. |
Thermal Storage Components
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2009 Thermal Storage Research and Development Summary |
Kolb, G.J. and R.B. Diver, 2008, Conceptual Design of an Advanced Trough Utilizing a Molten Salt Working Fluid, SolarPACES Symposium, Las Vegas, NV. |
Optical Alignment (SOFAST)
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Andraka, C.E., S. Sadlon, B. Myer, K. Trapeznikov, and C. Liebner, 2009, Rapid Reflective Facet Characterization Using Fringe Reflection Techniques, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2009, San Francisco, CA. |
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Includes cross-cutting characterization and testing of CSP materials, components, and systems, modeling and analysis, and other CSP technology development.
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Solid Particle Receiver Testing and Analysis
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Siegel, N.P. and G.J. Kolb, 2008, Design and On-Sun Testing of a Solid Particle Receiver Prototype, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2008, Jacksonville, FL. |
Ho, C.K., S.S. Khalsa, and N.P. Siegel, 2009, Modeling On-Sun Tests of a Prototype Solid Particle Receiver for Concentrating Solar Power Processes and Storage, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2009, San Francisco, CA. |
Sunshine To Petrol
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News Release, “Sandia’s Sunshine to Petrol project seeks fuel from thin air,” Dec. 5, 2007 |
Modeling and Analyses
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| Ho, C.K. and G.J. Kolb, 2009, Incorporating Uncertainty into Probabilistic Performance Models of Concentrating Solar Power Plants, in proceedings of Energy Sustainability 2009, San Francisco, CA. |
Ho, C.K., C.M. Ghanbari, and R.B. Diver, 2009, Hazard Analyses of Glint and Glare from Concentrating Solar Power Plants, in proceedings of SolarPACES 2009, Berlin, Germany, September 15-18, 2009. |
| 2009 Advanced CSP Systems Analysis Summary |
| Ho, C.K., 2008, Software and Codes for Analysis of Concentrating Solar Power Technologies, SAND2008-8053, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM. |
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Related Links
DOE Program Review Meeting 2009
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