Low-cost Nontracking Asymmetric Shadeless Solar Thermal Collector for Industrial Process Heating

Low-cost Nontracking Asymmetric Shadeless Solar Thermal Collector for Industrial Process Heating

The purpose of this project is to develop a low-cost, high-efficiency solar thermal collector for industrial process heating by using a unique asymmetric nonimaging optical design and scaling up the technology through iterative demonstrations at an existing University of California, Merced research facility located on a fully developed property in Atwater, California and an industrial host site owned by Tyson Foods in San Lorenzo, California. The project will consist of rapid iterative scale-ups starting with an approximately 5 square meter prototype at the research facility, building to a 50 square meter pilot array at the research facility, and culminating in the 500 square meter rooftop demonstration at the industrial host site. In addition, the project team will assess the best storage technology for the system, which may include pressurized hot water storage or a phase-change thermal energy storage. The solar array alone is expected to replace the steam heat source used to indirectly heat water for sanitation and processing and offset natural gas consumption of the plant by avoiding the natural gas boiler. Implementation of this system at the industrial site will generate approximately 350,000 kWh (11,945 therms), provide natural gas savings on the order of 411,764 kWh (14,053 therms), and gross savings of $10,400 per year (simple payback of 7.2 years). Each square meter of installed collector area will avoid 329 pounds of equivalent carbon dioxide emissions, annually. The project is consistent with the California Energy Commission's mission of leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future.

Atwater

Merced