Advanced Parabolic Trough Field Testing: Real-Time Data Collection, Archiving, and Analysis for the Solargenix Advanced Parabolic Trough

Solargenix Energy is currently constructing a 64-MWe parabolic trough solar plant in Eldorado Valley, Nevada, just south of Las Vegas. As part of the preparation for construction and operation of the new utility-scale solar plant, Solargenix has collaborated with UNLV and NREL to build a collector test row. The test row is serving as a platform for field testing advanced parabolic trough components before their large-scale deployment. The test row consists of two Solargenix Solar Collector Assemblies (SCAs); each SCA has 12 collector modules (space frames and mirrors). This facility has been used to field test new Solargenix designs for first and second generation collector space frames, advanced reflectors, advanced local controllers (AdLoCs), a hydraulic-based drive system, receiver support arms, low-cost injection-molded bearings, ball joints and collector support pylons. The test-row facility also has equipment for monitoring the following weather data: direct normal irradiance, dry bulb temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and precipitation. Data logging equipment is used to record and track weather data as well as SCA parameters. Site instrumentation is solar-powered (photovoltaics) and uses cellular technology to transmit data to a web-based data collection system. This paper describes construction of this facility, the installation of the data-collection system and some data collected to date.