Solar Thermal Collector by SKILLICORN Technologies
How integrated Solar Thermal Collectors create synergies and add value to technologically advanced, innovative renewable energy solutions
Solar thermal has, in the recent past, increasingly narrowed to circumstances involving reflection of sunlight onto a tower focal point by an array of adjusting parabolic mirrors. Heated salt and/or oils are then used to power a conventional boiler and attendant steam turbine. Following 20 or so years of demonstration project implementation, there is a growing consensus that “solar thermal is problematic.” STL has, and continues to focus its solar thermal technologies on heating air, and leveraging the wonderful properties of thermal convection.
The STL solar thermal convection collector comprises a clean, flattened earthen surface that is treated to dampen dust. On this surface are placed ventral spacers that can, on smaller systems, be bricks or concrete blocks. Above that is placed a matrix of corrugated metal sheets that can be closely stacked for storage and transport, and quickly laid on the spacer to form a virtually solid sheet of corrugated metal. Simple pins are used to lock the sheets into place. Above these sheets, and placed immediately above the ventral spacers is an array of dorsal spacers. Above these, is an interlocking modular sheet of relatively thin polycarbonate. Typically, this 2-ply solar thermal collector sheet takes a jagged-edged circular form. Ideally, spacers towards the middle of this circular form become bigger. This can be accomplished easily by stacking multiple bricks as spacers towards the middle of the circle. At the very center of the circle is an oven that can take many forms and use a variety of means by which to avail of the heat. These can range from direct counterflow desiccation chambers to fully integrated chambers through which material is passed for desiccation or even a heat exchanger that passes solar thermal energy to oil or water which is then pumped to dryers or for storage in tanks or even subterranean rocks. Above the oven is a relatively tall guyed telescoping chimney that provides the required draw through the collector array and the oven. The entire system is designed for rapid assembly, disassembly, packing and transport. Desiccating fruit and herbs is a favored application – one which can move either north or south as fruits or herbs continue to ripen.
A hybrid STL solar thermal collector (see demo images below) employs a similar oven and chimney, but employs active fan-pumped inflated 2-ply plastic tube collectors. This unit is more easily and more quickly deployed, disassembled and transported.
The STL solar thermal convection collector comprises a clean, flattened earthen surface that is treated to dampen dust. On this surface are placed ventral spacers that can, on smaller systems, be bricks or concrete blocks. Above that is placed a matrix of corrugated metal sheets that can be closely stacked for storage and transport, and quickly laid on the spacer to form a virtually solid sheet of corrugated metal. Simple pins are used to lock the sheets into place. Above these sheets, and placed immediately above the ventral spacers is an array of dorsal spacers. Above these, is an interlocking modular sheet of relatively thin polycarbonate. Typically, this 2-ply solar thermal collector sheet takes a jagged-edged circular form. Ideally, spacers towards the middle of this circular form become bigger. This can be accomplished easily by stacking multiple bricks as spacers towards the middle of the circle. At the very center of the circle is an oven that can take many forms and use a variety of means by which to avail of the heat. These can range from direct counterflow desiccation chambers to fully integrated chambers through which material is passed for desiccation or even a heat exchanger that passes solar thermal energy to oil or water which is then pumped to dryers or for storage in tanks or even subterranean rocks. Above the oven is a relatively tall guyed telescoping chimney that provides the required draw through the collector array and the oven. The entire system is designed for rapid assembly, disassembly, packing and transport. Desiccating fruit and herbs is a favored application – one which can move either north or south as fruits or herbs continue to ripen.
A hybrid STL solar thermal collector (see demo images below) employs a similar oven and chimney, but employs active fan-pumped inflated 2-ply plastic tube collectors. This unit is more easily and more quickly deployed, disassembled and transported.
BENEFITS OF STL Solar thermal collector