Reference Inputs

Reference Inputs

To view the Reference Inputs page, click Reference Inputs on the main window's navigation menu. Note that for the dish input pages to be available, the technology option in the Technology and Market window must be Concentrating Solar Power - Dish Stirling System.

Solar Advisor uses the reference condition parameters in an iterative process to calculate the total collector error for a given set of values for the aperture diameter, focal length, and collector diameter. Once the collector error is calculated, that value can be used to calculate a new intercept factor for different aperture diameters (See Fraser, p 150-151).

Collector Reference Condition Inputs

Intercept Factor

Fraction of energy reflected from the parabolic mirror that enters the receiver aperture. The intercept factor can be increased by increasing the concentration ratio or by increasing the size of the aperture. Intercept factors typically range between 0.94 and 0.99.

Focal Length of Mirror (m)

Parabolic mirror focal length.

The reference condition parameters given in the table below and as user inputs in Solar Advisor are used in the pump law calculations that are part of the parasitic loss equations.

Variable	SES	WGA	SBP	SAIC
Pump Parasitic Power	150	100	175	300
Pump Speed (rpm)	1800	1800	1800	1800
Cooling Fluid Type	50% EG	50% EG	water	50% EG
Cooling Fluid Temperature (K)	288	288	288	288
Cooling Fluid Volumetric Flow Rate (gal/min)	9	7.5	7.5	12
Cooling System Fan Test Power (W)	1000	410	510	2500
Cooling System Fan Test Speed (rpm)	890	890	890	850
Fan Air Density (kg/m3)	1.2	1.2	1.2	1.2
Fan Volumetric Flow Rate (CFM)	6000	4000	4500	10000