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Nevada Southwest Energy Partnership (NSWEP), Solargenix, the Center for Energy Research, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are preparing for a 50-MW solar plant in Eldorado Valley, that will utilize an advanced parabolic trough design. This project was initiated to test some of the necessary component engineering work that must be completed prior to the installation of the 50-MW plant. As part of the work, two Solar Collector Assemblies (SCA's) are currently under construction.

Image of the Eldorado Solar Trough currently being tested.

The parabolic trough is an solar concentrator system. A parabolic trough collector has a linear parabolic-shaped reflector that focuses the sun's radiation on a linear receiver located at the focus of the parabola. The collector tracks the sun along one axis from east to west during the day to ensure that the sun is continuously focused on the receiver. Because of its parabolic shape, a trough can focus the sun at 30 to 100 times its normal intensity on a receiver pipe located along the focal line of the trough, reaching operating temperatures over 400°C.

A working (heat transfer) fluid is heated as it circulates through the receivers and returns to a series of heat exchangers at a central location where the fluid is used to generate high-pressure steam. The steam is then fed to a conventional steam turbine/generator to produce electricity. After the working fluid passes through the heat exchangers, the cooled fluid is re-circulated through the solar field. The plant is usually designed to operate at full rated power using solar energy alone, given sufficient solar energy.

Trough designs can incorporate thermal storage—setting aside the heat transfer fluid in its hot phase—allowing for electricity generation several hours into the evening.

For more information, please visit the Eldorado Solar Web Page.