FEA Finds a Place in the Sun

This article reviews that finite-element analysis (FEA) is helping engineers optimize emerging solar-energy technologies, so they can meet market demand for lower installation costs and increased production. As producers of electricity investigate ways to meet new and existing demand for power without increasing pollution, more and more utilities—especially those in areas of high solar insolation—are looking more seriously at renewable energy sources, such as solar power. Engineers at Science Applications International Corp.(SAIC), headquartered in San Diego, have developed a parabolic dish system for distributed-receiver applications and central-receiver (power tower) systems, which use a large field of mirrored heliostats. The parabolic dish system is projected to be a promising option worldwide, especially in remote areas that are currently without electricity. The testing at Solar Two will help engineers gain insight into the heliostat’s design, fabrication, installation, performance, and reliability. According to SAIC, this is a key step toward the first 50-megawatt electric power tower plant to be located in the national solar enterprise zone in the southwest desert.