Parabolic Solar Collector linked to a Sterling Engine?

What does a Solar Collector and a Sterling Engine have in common? Well if you mention them together with a company named aptly enough – ‘Stirling Energy Systems’/Tessera Solar you will undoubtedly be talking about the Maricopa Solar Project and their SunCatcher concentrating technology. The Sun Catcher consists of an array of curved glass mirrors arranged in a parabolic dish shape for the solar collector. In what has been claimed to be the worlds highest-ever conversion rate of 31.25%, breaking the previous record for solar collector performance.

Multi-Section ‘Parabolic’ Mirror Solar Collector.

3 Suncatcher Solar Collectors

40 Mirror Parabolic Solar Collector Dish.

The 40 reflective mirror pieces that are needed for the construction of each parabolic solar collector dish, is formed into a parabolic shaped from sheet metal and use production methods similar to autobody manufacturers with the production of an automobile hood. By utilizing the automotive supply chain that has a well refined high-volume assembly line production process.

The Maricopa Solar Project was to be built in close proximity to the existing 650 Megawatt Agua Fria power station. Sterling Engine design used with Solar Collectors are arguably the way forward on their energy conversion efficiency alone which is the worlds highest-ever conversion rate of 31.25%.

In the case of the Maricopa Solar Project it uses the parabolic mirror solar collector. The parabolic mirror Solar Collector, along with every other shape, size and form of renewable/green energy technology, continues to literally explode on a worldwide scale.

Sandia National Laboratories’ engineer Chuck Andraka said that when the Solar Collector was working at full tilt the temperature reaches the equivalent of a ‘Blistering’ 13,000 suns. Chuck says “That heat will melt any substance known to man (mega hot then).

Automatic Sun Tracking Parabolic Solar Collector.Each 40 foot parabolic dish is made up of jigsaw of 40 parabolic mirror pieces , capable of producing a very useful 25 kilowatts of electricity each. Each Sun Catcher solar collector dish will automatically track the suns movements while collecting and focusing that awesome solar energy onto what is called a Power Conversion Unit (PCU), this unit generates the end product – electricity.

The animated model shown below is of a single ‘cyclinder’ Sterling Engine. The Maricopa Solar Collector project uses a 4 cylinder design using a parabolic solar collector to power the Sterling Engine which in turn generates the electricity.

The Stirling Engine was originally designed more than 150 years ago by Robert Stirling a Scottish inventor. His was the first practical example of a closed cycle air engine and has always been recognized for its efficiency and reliability. They are well known because they can use almost any external heat source to power the engine.

Sterling Engine design used with Solar Collector

An excellent original article on the subject was first published on CleanTechnica.com, written by Timothy B. Hurston August 25, 2009.

This proximity to the existing infrastructure aids in getting the facility online as early as 2010. Sun Catcher, Tessera specified that more than 90 percent of the Maricopa Solar Collector project components would be of North American manufacture.