The Solar Concentrator has a parabolic reflector which enables to concentrate the sun’s energy into a focal point where the solar collector is positioned. The solar concentrator is equipped with a dual axis celestial tracking system for tracking the sun during its operation

A       Technological Objective

To research the possibility to utilize Polymer-Based Mirror Film Inserts (reflective insert is the material which in inserted onto the parabolic dish) as a reflective material in Parabolic Solar Concentrator application with the celestial sun tracking system.  The Polymer-Based Mirror Film Inserts will be researched on a standard prime Focus Antenna System which can operate in various climatic conditions (from -20 deg C to 45 deg. C). Currently, the Parabolic Solar Concentrator designs use custom made low iron parabolic glass mirrors. However, this design is very expensive and not available to the average consumer. In addition, the operating costs of the custom made mirrors is very high. The current application of   Polymer-Based Mirror Film is only used in parabolic troughs where there is only one curve. The technological objective is to research possible utilization of Polymer-Based Mirror Film Inserts which are curved in both directions in standard Prime Focus Antenna System. This research will allow Polymer-Based Mirror Inserts to be used with Parabolic Concentrator Designs from 1.8 m to 12m diameters.

B.               Scientific or Technological Advancement

This scientific research will allow application engineers to implement low cost Polymer-Based Mirror Inserts in Parabolic Solar Concentrators with the celestial sun tracking system and also will increase the knowledge of low cost Solar Energy harvesting process. The celestial sun tracking system in conjunction with Polymer-Based Mirror Inserts will provide a new cost effective solution for energy production. As a result, the researched material will help designers or engineers to create commercially viable Parabolic Solar Concentrators for private, commercial and industrial applications. At present, the Solar Concentrators are:

1. Very Expensive  
2. Limited to Utility Applications
3. Requires Supervision
4. High Maintenance Cost 

The research consists of investigating the various combinations of substrate and Polymer-Based Mirror Film for parabolic Solar Concentrators to achieve 73-83% energy efficiency in the focal point. Furthermore, the conducted research will potentially find a possible solution to overcome the high cost of manufacturing in the current Solar Concentrator designs. This research will aid in creating scientific knowledge in Harvesting of Solar Energy. As result, the Parabolic Solar Concentrators might be considered  as an alternative energy source, which can  help to reduce the energy costs. Furthermore, this scientific and technological research will lead to the development of new generation of Parabolic Solar Concentrators to power homes, industries and commercial buildings.

The scientific research will provide the following technological advancements:

1. It will reduce the cost of Parabolic Solar Concentrator   
2. It will make solar energy a viable business option
3. It will allow designers/engineers to better understand the  solar energy  harvesting process

C.               Scientific or technological uncertainty

The technological uncertainty is the fact that the Polymer-Based Mirror Film was developed for metal substrate which has only one curve (parabolic troughs).  In parabolic concentrator application, Polymer-Based Mirror Film is applied to acrylic substrate and is subjected to a heat during the petal forming process and physical stress occurs due to the bidirectional flexing of Polymer-Based Mirror Film. As result, a potential breakage of the mirror film can occur.  Furthermore, the sun’s focal point needs to be investigated to determine whether the Polymer-Based Mirror Film insert can provide uniform sun pattern in the focal point.  In addition, the following questions need to be answered: Can various stress relief processes be applied to Polymer-Based Mirror Film to reduce the stress and breakage of the material under diversified   climatic conditions? This challenging question creates scientific and technological uncertainty.  Various temperature forming concepts need to be researched before it can be concluded that there is a possibility to utilize Polymer-Based Mirror Film as a reflective material in Solar Concentrators.  The Polymer-Based Mirror Film must be researched under the following conditions: 

• Physical stress
• Thermal stress
• Various  weather  conditions
• Various temperature conditions   (-20 deg. C to 45C deg.)

For example, it was found that the Polymer-Based Mirror Film   performed quite well at 20 deg. C, however, the same Polymer-Based Mirror Film experienced peeling off at the edges of the petals at -12 deg. C. It was confirmed that the higher incidents of peeling off occurred under freeze and thaw  temperature conditions. In addition, it was noted that the focal point sun pattern is not very uniform. Can a new celestial tracking system with a new collector/absorber design compensate for a non- uniform sun pattern?  The appropriate research,  testing and evaluation must be studied to analyze the above situation.  Therefore, there is great scientific uncertainty regarding the outcome of the research regarding the possibility of using Polymer-Based Mirror Film in Solar concentrator applications. Currently, there is not a single company which commercially manufactures Solar Concentrators made out of Polymer-Based Mirror Film.

Edward Herniak

CEO/President, SolarTron Energy Systems

Parabolic reflectors are employed to concentrate incoming radiation onto a smaller receiver. For example, in solar energy applications concentrators can reduce heat losses in thermal collectors. For example, the SolarBeam uses a 10” x 10” surface area for producing up to 4kW of electricity. Since the solar cells are placed in such a small surface area, they are able absorb the full effects of the concentrated sunlight. On the other hand, if a customer wants to receive only thermal power, the solar concentrator can provide up to 44,000 BTU’s per hour with less than 1% heat loss in the cold winter months.  Since the surface area of the collector is only 10” x 10” , there is minimal heat loss compared to flat panels that  have huge surface area. This is why solar concentrators are considered to be the most efficient method to create solar power and thermal heat.  

However, the design of a solar concentrator takes precision and a lot of forethought.  Some errors can occur that will reduce the efficiency of a solar concentrator dramatically. For example: optical errors may be caused by deviations of the reflector surface from the specified parabolic contour, by lack of perfect specularity of the reflector material or  by displacement of the receiver from its design position. Therefore, there is only a handful of companies in the world that have perfected the design of the concentrator, one of them is SolarTron Energy that has a SolarBeam at 82% efficiency. It is important for installers of solar concentrators to be trained on how to install them properly. There are a lot of “do it yourself” people who think they can reduce costs by installing these systems themselves. However, the reality is that if you do not install the system correctly, you will drop my half the efficiency of the system. There are training seminars available that show how to install solar concentrators. If you are interested in broadening your skill set and getting into the solar power sector, then it is a worthwhile investment.

There are many choices for solar power, some cheap and some very expensive. The key is not to be duped when choosing an alternative energy system. Study your area, see what is the most efficient alternative energy technology that would fit the characteristics of your area. For example, windmills may be better in your are than solar. Or maybe it’s geothermal or flat panels. There is no perfect solution, the only solution is the one that fits your budget and your location. After you have found the right system, be sure to find the right installer, and then you are all set to reap the rewards. If you find solar power to be a worthwhile investment then go ahead, your pocketbook and the planet will thank you.

What You Will Learn

SolarTron Energy Systems Training Seminar will teach you how to construct, install and sell the SolarBeam Concentrator

Module 1   Understanding SolarBeam Applications

Power point presentation that explains the benefits of the SolarBeam and what applications can benefit from solar thermal energy

Understand the difference between flat panels and parabolic solar concentrators

Show how payback is calculated and how efficiencies are calculated

Answers to frequently asked questions

Module 2   SolarBeam Parts Description

Covers the parts used in the SolarBeam

Assembly process of the SolarBeam

Explanation of the solar tracking system

Module 3   Energy Calculations

Sizing the SolarBeam for the application

Energy formulas

Solar radiation data

Module   4 Business Model

Typical cost for installation

Typical profit margin for the SolarBeam

What crew is recommended

Module 5   Foundation Installation

How to choose the site for optimal performance

How to dig the foundation to local specifications

How to read the installation diagrams

Module 6  SolarBeam Installation

Learn how to install the power post and power train

Explains the best way to safely install the SolarBeam

Includes a complete tool and supply checklist

Explanation of installation drawings

Module 7   Tracking System Installation

How to install the tracking system

How to calibrate the tracking system after you install the SolarBeam

How to diagnose alerts in the system and troubleshoot

Module 8   Installation of the Piping and Heat Exchanger Kit

How to install the underground piping system and what tools to use

How to install the heat exchanger kit

How to size the heat exchanger for the project

How to interface with an existing heating system

Module 9   Warranty

How does SolarTron take care of warranty issues

What is covered by warranty

What is the delivery time for warranty parts

Module 10  How to Place an Order

How to place an order for the SolarBeam

Delivery schedule

Payment schedule

What is included in the SolarBeam kit

Then you have to worry about the lifespan of the solar cell because as it gets heated up, it could get to the point of being fried, and then you just have a useless piece of scrap metal. Many people overlook solar hot water because it is not as fancy as the solar electricity. However, do not be quick to judge that a solar hot water system cannot reduce your energy bill. For example, the SolarBeam Concentrator can produce up to 13kW of thermal heat per hour.

This translates to 44,000 BTU’s of energy. It can heat a 120 gallon hot water tank to 90 degrees in 3 hours. Because the solar hot water system uses the raw power of the sun to heat the water, there is no loss in conversion, like there is in making electricity. So you get more bang for your buck by installing solar hot water systems than solar electricity, plus they are much cheaper. Companies that can benefit from solar hot water are: beverage companies, wineries, hotels, hospitals, schools, etc.

Basically the rule is, if there is hot water in the building and you have a 120 gallon hot water tank, you can use a solar hot water system. In addition, the great thing about solar concentrator hot water systems are that they can generate high amounts of hot water, which can then be changed into steam. So any company with steam generation systems can offset their energy usage. If a client needs 8 tons of steam per hour, he will need 600 solar concentrators. However, the payback is 12 years and that’s without government rebates. So whether you are a home owner or a large corporation, you can reduce your energy costs by using solar hot water systems.

There are many types of systems from flat panels to solar concentrators, however solar concentrators have the best payback because they can track the sun throughout the day. The solar hot water system is not new technology. It was invented back in the 1800’s and was used to generate steam which powered a printing press. However, after the discovery of oil, people lost interest in solar energy systems and only now has there been renewed interest in this technology. I am hoping that our children will be using alternative energy as a source of power and we will be able to stop the climate change. In my opinion, I feel that solar hot water systems, if they were used by everyone would cut by half the amount of fossil fuels. We just need to change peoples mind, one mind at a time.

For those who are not familiar with a parabolic concentrator, shown below is an excerpt:

Paraboloidal concentrators have the ability to raise various absorbers and working fluids to high temperatures. The maximum concentration factor and temperature attainable in practice depends on the aperture size (area intercepting solar radiation), reflectivity, and accuracy of the surface contour, and the degree to which the concentrator approximate a true paraboloidal geometry. Paraboloidal concentrators have been used for various applications, from cooking[1] and driving hot-air operated pumps for lifting water[2], to providing power for space-craft[3] through a mercury-vapor driven electric generator. In recent times the merits of various types of non-imaging compound concentrators[4] which collect not only the direct beams of radiation but also part of the scattered component, has been described in literature.

It is generally believed that paraboloidal dish-shaped reflectors require relatively sophisticated fabrication techniques of metal spinning, plastic molding or ‘die pressing’[5]. A practical and elegant technique of fabricating 

Paraboloidal concentrators have the ability to raise various absorbers and working fluids to high temperatures. The maximum concentration factor and temperature attainable in practice depends on the aperture size (area intercepting solar radiation), reflectivity, and accuracy of the surface contour, and the degree to which the concentrator approximate a true paraboloidal geometry. Paraboloidal concentrators have been used for various applications, from cooking[1] and driving hot-air operated pumps for lifting water[2], to providing power for space-craft[3] through a mercury-vapor driven electric generator. In recent times the merits of various types of non-imaging compound concentrators[4] which collect not only the direct beams of radiation but also part of the scattered component, has been described in literature.

It is generally believed that paraboloidal dish-shaped reflectors require relatively sophisticated fabrication techniques of metal spinning, plastic molding or ‘die pressing’[5]. A practical and elegant technique of fabricating

A Simple Technique of Fabrication of Paraboloidal Concentrators

*Solar Energy, Volume 22, pp 463-465

M. Srinivasan, L. V. Kulkarni, and C. S. Pasupathy
Neutron Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Center, Trombay, Bombay 500 085, India

If your company is looking for a solar energy system that has a payback of less than 6 years (not including government rebates), and can produce more energy than flat panels, then the SolarBeam is your product.

Please contact us if you are interested.

If you are interested in other eenergy saving solutions for your company, then contact EG Energy Controls. They have nationwide expertise in providing the best energy saving solutions with paybacks of less than 2 years.