The limited supply and environmental impact of fossil fuels has become an urgent problem. To aid in overcoming this problem a team from New Mexico Tech (NMT) is improving existing heliostat technology to create a more cost-effective and mobile heliostat design. The team has devised an innovative patent pending liquid-ballast heliostat drive system which reduces the cost of heliostat drive mechanics, utilizes a cost-effective mirror design, and eliminates an unnecessary support pedestal. By implementing this new design the team will help to create a more economically viable, clean energy source that will benefit all energy consumers as well as the environment. The team’s goal is to create a heliostat that reduces the cost of production and operation by thirty percent. In doing so, the team must also meet strict accuracy and lifetime specifications created by Sandia National Labs (SNL) and NMT. In pursuit of meeting these specifications the team is currently completing fabrication of a prototype. Using this prototype the team will evaluate drive system performance through semi-automated testing. After testing, the team will continue the design process with the ultimate goal of creating multiple improved prototypes.
Skip Nav Destination
ASME 2009 3rd International Conference on Energy Sustainability collocated with the Heat Transfer and InterPACK09 Conferences
July 19–23, 2009
San Francisco, California, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Advanced Energy Systems Division and Solar Energy Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4890-6
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
The Design and Fabrication of an Alternative Drive System to Reduce Heliostat Manufacturing and Installation Costs Available to Purchase
Joshua Christian,
Joshua Christian
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Search for other works by this author on:
Victoria DeOreo
Victoria DeOreo
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Search for other works by this author on:
Kyle Chavez
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Evan Sproul
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Joshua Christian
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Kendra Valdez
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Ian Luders
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Derek Lucero
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Walker Sroges
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Victoria DeOreo
New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM
Paper No:
ES2009-90478, pp. 717-725; 9 pages
Published Online:
September 29, 2010
Citation
Chavez, K, Sproul, E, Christian, J, Valdez, K, Luders, I, Lucero, D, Sroges, W, & DeOreo, V. "The Design and Fabrication of an Alternative Drive System to Reduce Heliostat Manufacturing and Installation Costs." Proceedings of the ASME 2009 3rd International Conference on Energy Sustainability collocated with the Heat Transfer and InterPACK09 Conferences. ASME 2009 3rd International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Volume 2. San Francisco, California, USA. July 19–23, 2009. pp. 717-725. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2009-90478
Download citation file:
7
Views
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Articles
RP Industry’s Growing Pains
Mechanical Engineering (July,1998)
Current Advancement of Heliostats
J. Energy Resour. Technol (December,2022)
Modeling, Implementing, and Evaluating of an Advanced Dual Axis Heliostat Drive System
J. Sol. Energy Eng (August,2022)
Related Chapters
Utilizing Waste Materials as a Source of Alternative Energy: Benefits and Challenges
Energy and Power Generation Handbook: Established and Emerging Technologies
Digital Human in Engineering and Bioengineering Applications
Advances in Computers and Information in Engineering Research, Volume 1
Engineering Consultant’s Contractual Obligations
Marketing of Engineering Consultancy Services: A Global Perspective