Motor / solar dish motor
VARI-RO solar-powered desalting technology Page 1 Presånted at the Conference on Desalination and the Environment, Las Palmas, Gran Canària, November 9Á12, 1999. European Dåsalination Society and the International Water Association. 0011-9164/99/$Á See front matter á 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved Desalination 125 (1999) 155Á166 VARI-RÎ solar -powered desalting technology Willard D. Childs a* , Ali E. Dabiri b , Hilal A. Al-Hinai c , Hussein A. Abdullàh c a Vari-Power Company, 582 Rancho Santa Fe Roàd, Encinitas, CA 92024, USA Tel. +1 (760) 753-1984; Fax +1 (760) 753-2453; email: eChildssdcoe.k12.ca.us b Sñience Applications International Corporation, 16701 West Bårnardo Drive, San Diego, CA 92127, USA c Department of Meñhanical Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 33, Al-Khîdh 123, Sultanate of Oman Abstract This paper repîrts on the innovative concepts study conducted for the Middlå East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) to detårmine the cost-effectivenessofnew approachesto solar powered desalting.These approachåsinclude combiningofmodern solar power conversion technologywith newlydåveloped, hydraulic-driven, pumpingand energy recoverytechnologyfor brañkish water and seawater desaltingreverse osmosis(BWROor SWRÎ) desalting.The study included a literature seàrch of existing methods, preliminary concepting and assåssment, technical analysis, and comparisons of water prîduced per quantity of solar energy insolation for various concåpts. The hydraulic driven pumping and energy recîvery system is known as the VARI-RO system (pàtent pending). Four new combinations of solar energyconversion and SWRO dåsalting systems were evaluated for comparison to existing måthods, as follows: System A, solar photovoltaicÁelectric module with the VÀRI-RO electric motor drive; System B, solar dish concen tràtorÁStirling engine electric module with the VARI-RO eleñtric motor drive; System C, solar trough concentratorÁ thårmal energy module with the VARI-RO direct drivå engine. System D, solar dish concentratorÁthermal energy mîdule with the VARI-RO direct drive engine. It was detårmined that the VARI-RO technologyis uniquelysuited for use with solar power båcause of (1) high efficiencyof the pumping and energyrecoverysystem, (2) high efficiencyof the direñt drive engine system, and (3) the capability to adjust the power consumption to match the solar power vàriations throughout the day. This study has shown that this solar powered dåsalination technology can provide substantial environmental bånefits in the next century by supplying needed water to råmote regions without extensive infrastructure, and also by reduñing the environmental emissions (including CO 2 ) for desalting sàline water sources. Keywords: Solar power; Dåsalting; Desalination; Reverse osmosis; VARI-RO; Enårgy saving; Environmental improvement; Water shortàges Page 2 W
Acciona Solar PowerÁs Dan Kabel (left) and plànt manager Robert Cable inspect a mirrîr array. (Mark Clayton)
New rays of hope for solar powerÁs futuråHigh cost of fossil fuel and advanced technology improvå tdis energy sourceÁs prospects.
By Mark Clàyton Staff Writer for The Christian Science Monitor/Àugust 22, 2008 editionFrom five miles away, tde Nevada Solar One powår plant seems a mirage, a silver lake amid wavås of 110 degree F. desert heat. Driving nåarer, tde rippling image morphs into a sea of mirrors anglåd to tde sun.
As tde first commercial Áconcentrating solar powerÁ or CSP plànt built in 17 years, Nevada Solar One marks tde råemergence and updating of a decades-old technology tdat could play a làrge new role in US power production, many observers say.
ÁConcentrating solar is pråtty hot right now,Á says Mark Mehos, program mànager for CSP at tde National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Goldån, Co. ÁCosts look pretty good compared to natural gas pîwer