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Concentrating Solar Power is a very efficient method of harvesting the sun's rays to produce electrical power or other work. This method is also extremely productive and versatile. This versatility is possible because the of the fact that there multiple collection methods. However the method of collection, this type of system requires direct sunlight. Therefore every type of collector must be equipped with a sun tracking system. A sun tracking system will ensure that the collector is receiving direct sunlight as long as the sun is in the sky.
The three most common methods of collection are the mighty solar tower, the parabolic trough and the Stirling solar dish. The solar tower uses anywhere from dozens to thousands of sun tracking mirrors. The sun's rays reflect off of the mirror's slightly parabolic surfaces and are concentrated on a heat collector at the top of a centrally located tower. The heat is collected to intensely heat an antifreeze/water mixture to operate a steam powered turbine to produce electricity.
The parabolic trough method is very similar with the tower except that there is a grid of solar receiver tubes that run common between them. The tubes are heated thus melting salts within them to a molten state at which point the heat is transferred to water inside of heat exchangers. The water is transferred through supply lines to a steam turbine where the heat energy is converted into electrical energy by a steam turbine.
A sterling solar dish is a basic parabolic mirror that reflects the direct sunlight onto the collector of a sterling engine powered generator. The generator is a self contained steam powered engine which allows it to be a completely self contained unit and mounted in remote area without the need for any other infrastructure than electrical lines.
The parabolic trough method is very similar with the tower except that there is a grid of solar receiver tubes that run common between them. The tubes are heated thus melting salts within them to a molten state at which point the heat is transferred to water inside of heat exchangers. The water is transferred through supply lines to a steam turbine where the heat energy is converted into electrical energy by a steam turbine.
A sterling solar dish is a basic parabolic mirror that reflects the direct sunlight onto the collector of a sterling engine powered generator. The generator is a self contained steam powered engine which allows it to be a completely self contained unit and mounted in remote area without the need for any other infrastructure than electrical lines.