Winston Cone Optics (WCO) installed a 61 ft2 (5.7 m2) prototype solar thermal collector module at the UC Merced Castle Research Facility in Atwater, CA to measure the 2022 annual performance while operating between 200-250 degrees Fahrenheit (100-120 degrees Celsius). This project is supported by the California Energy Commission under PIR-20-004 in collaboration with the University of California, Merced.
WCO monitored collector output from January 1st, 2022 to December 31st, 2022 to establish baseline technology performance. The system delivered 4,480 kWh (2.16 kWh/m2-year) at250 degrees Fahrenheit over the full year, with an annual solar-to-thermal efficiency of 42% relative to the global horizontal solar resource.
This is the first prototype test bed of the flat horizontal NASHÂ collector. This is the precursor to a 50 m2 follow on system which will be used to assess larger scale performance while demonstrating active temperature control, solar-to-thermal wastewater evaporation, and elevated temperature storage with output temperature control for 24/7 solar heat delivered to a simulated desalination load.
