The Fresnel Collector is a linear concentrating solar thermal collector optimized for industrial applications. It can provide heat at up to 400°C and operate with pressures of up to 120 bars. Besides being operated with water, thermal oil or high-temperature glycol, it can also generate steam directly. Due to its modular design, the system can be scaled up from a 500 kW to 30 MW.
Direct solar radiation is reflected on several rows of single-axis tracking mirrors on to a stationary receiver. This consists of a highly efficient vacuum tube with selective coating. The heat is collected in this absorber tube and fed to the application by means of a heat transfer medium. A part of the sun light reflected by the primary mirrors hits one of the secondary mirrors positioned above the absorber and is reflected from there on to the absorber.
When it comes to the implementation of a solar energy system in industry, the area available is often the main constraint. Industrial Solar was one of the first companies to install concentrating solar process heat systems onto rooftops. This allows customers to preserve the constrained ground space for potential upcoming expansions.
For inclined roofs, high efforts for substructure and grating were necessary in the past. With the new feature, Industrial Solar further simplified the building-integration of its Fresnel solar concentrators: Industrial Solar developed a design that integrates lightweight and cost-efficient walkways and gratings directly into the structure of the LF-11 Fresnel collector. The number of interfaces to the customer’s roof is thereby further reduced, while weight and cost can be minimized. The walkways consist of stiff and lightweight sheet metal platforms with an anti-slip surface. Different configurations are available, depending on specific site conditions and solar field sizes. Handrails, skirting and further add-ons can be integrated as well. Typically, both cost and weight of the required substructure can thus be reduced by up to 50%.