Southwest Solar hits 'big milestone' in next-gen CSP

Southwest Solar Technologies has successfully tested a high-temperature air receiver prototype that will eventually be used to test the company’s advanced solar-turbine power system.

Currently in development, the system uses a parabolic solar dish with mirrors to concentrate the sun’s energy to drive a high-efficiency turbine engine and generate electricity.

The air receiver test was conducted using Southwest Solar’s 320-square meter solar concentrating dish, the largest solar dish in North America. The dish is capable of delivering over a quarter megawatt of thermal energy in the form of concentrated sunlight, focusing the equivalent heat of 2,000 suns into the receiver. Inside the receiver, compressed air is super-heated to power a high-speed turbine alternator.

Initial tests were conducted with screens on the dish to reduce the input energy to 50 kilowatt-hours, about 20 percent of its full capacity. Even at this reduced power, the receiver operated at the temperature goal of 925 degrees C (1700 degrees F), and met the company’s efficiency goals.

“This high-temperature performance achieved far exceeds typical 400 C temperature of other concentrating solar power (CSP) systems, such as trough and power towers, that use steam turbine technology to produce electricity, and the system requires no water cooling,” said Herb Hayden, Southwest Solar’s chief technical officer. “The company’s unique air-based turbine cycle, operating at much higher temperatures, is designed to achieve greater than 30-percent efficiency. This efficiency would far exceed typical photovoltaic (PV) or other CSP solar power systems.”

“This is the latest big milestone in our development work,” added CEO Brad Forst, CEO.

The test results and data also position the project for the next phase of funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE) under a program being conducted by Brayton Energy LLC with participation by Southwest Solar. Testing is conducted at the company’s facility at Southwest Solar Research Park in Phoenix, Arizona.