CPC collector for high temperatures

Objective

Solar production of process heat in the temperature range of up to 150 C holds a very high potential to substitute high amounts of fossil energy. Many projects in solar building climatisation or solar water desalination are currently under evaluation. In these projects, the up to now only available solar collectors suitable for the desired high temperatures are vacuum tube collectors. However, there is a range of possibilities to improve the efficiency of flat plate collectors, avoiding the expensive vacuum technology: - concentration of the radiation using CPC mirrors - convection barriers - highly selective coatings - inert gas filling - low pressure filling First approximations show that a combination of these technics yields efficiencies for non-vacuum solar collectors higher than 50 % for temperatures up to 150 C. In the proposed project, the effects of these improvements will be evaluated. The aim is to develop a high temperature solar collector that allows lower production costs than evacuated solar collectors.
Solar production of process heat in the temperature range of up to 150 C holds a very high potential to substitute high amounts of fossil energy. Many projects in solar building climatisation or solar water desalination are currently under evaluation. In these projects, the up to now only available solar collectors suitable for the desired high temperatures are vacuum tube collectors. However, there is a range of possibilities to improve the efficiency of flat plate collectors, avoiding the expensive vacuum technology: - concentration of the radiation using CPC mirrors - convection barriers - highly selective coatings - inert gas filling - low pressure filling First approximations show that a combination of these technics yields efficiencies for non-vacuum solar collectors higher than 50 % for temperatures up to 150 C. In the proposed project, the effects of these improvements will be evaluated. The aim is to develop a high temperature solar collector that allows lower production costs than evacuated solar collectors.

Programme(s)

• FP4-NNE-JOULE C - Specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 03 - Renewable energies (RE)

Funding Scheme

EAW - Exploratory awards

Coordinator

Kalkgruber Solar- und Umwelttechnik GmbH

Address

3,Grünmarkt
4400 Steyr
Austria