Sci-Travel : Solar Pilot Plant : California USA

Science travel

Solar Energy, California

The Mojave Valley, with a very high percentage of sunlight throughout the year, is an appropriate place for a solar energy project. Located east of Barstow, California, near Daggett, the tall Solar 2 tower can be seen clearly from Interstate Highways I-140 and I-15 . I found it by travelling along I-40 and turning left off the highway, across the Santa Fe railroad, and then following the minor roads, with the view of the tower assisting the navigation to its exact location!

solar power plant
This shows Solar 2 . A power tower Pilot Plant.
The solar energy from the Sun is reflected from 1926 heliostats to focus on the receiver , at the top of the tower.

The receiver , which glows white hot during the endless sunny days, contains silver nitrate. The molten silver nitrate is heated from 550 F to 1050 F , and then is sent to a hot storage tank.

The hot salt solution is then pumped to boil water in the steam generator. This steam is then used to drive the turbines, which produce the electricity. The cold salt solution returns to a cold salt storage tank, where it is returned when needed to the tower, to be heated again by the solar energy.

Solar Energy : Power Plant
Solar 2 began operation in 1996.
Its primary 'goals' were

1. To demonstrate the advantages of a power tower system based on molten salt at a near commercial scale.

2. To mitigate the perceived risk associated with first commercial molten-salt power tower plants.

Solar Power Plant, Nr Barstow
Advantages of Solar 2 in using molten salt is that it stores energy more efficiently and cost effectively .This allows power generation into evening hours and during inclement weather. The effect of this storage system is that it effectively compensates the reduced output during cloudy conditions.
The stream is generated at a steady rate, so that the turbine/generator operates at a high efficiency all of the time.

Solar Power : New plant : California
Alongside the Solar 2 plant is a more recent solar energy project where long parallel rows of cylindrical mirrors reflect the solar energy to their focal points where pipes containing water are located . (You can see the pipe glowing white, above the reflector)

solar power plant California
Water is heated in the pipes to generate stream ,which then drives turbines. The turbines then drive the generators to produce the electrical energy. The only sound you are likely to hear is the creaking of the mechanical mechanism as it turns the reflector to follow the Sun, so that the greatest concentration of solar energy can be received at all times during the day.

Solar 2 project included a number of different participants, including local governement and private agencies. Participants included Arizona Public Service Co., California Energy Commission, and other departments and Institutes of California Arizona and Los Angeles. Contributers included Chilean Nitrate, and Nevada Powerlight. Cost shared between Boeing/Rocketdyne, Gould Pumps, Raychem and The Industrial Co. Government partners included the US Dept of Energy , Sandia National Laboratories, and National Renewable Energy Laboratories.

Barstow, California
Most of the travels were spent along the famous Route 66,
and I-40 ...and following the Santa-Fe Railroad.

This photo gallery and report is provided by Martyn Overy, North Chadderton School's Website Editor. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, any corrections/amendments would be gratefully acknowledged.

Webworld 3 : Special Issue

	This shows Solar 2 . A power tower Pilot Plant. The solar energy from the Sun is reflected from 1926 heliostats to focus on the receiver , at the top of the tower.
	The receiver , which glows white hot during the endless sunny days, contains silver nitrate. The molten silver nitrate is heated from 550 F to 1050 F , and then is sent to a hot storage tank.
	The hot salt solution is then pumped to boil water in the steam generator. This steam is then used to drive the turbines, which produce the electricity. The cold salt solution returns to a cold salt storage tank, where it is returned when needed to the tower, to be heated again by the solar energy.
	Solar 2 began operation in 1996. Its primary 'goals' were 1. To demonstrate the advantages of a power tower system based on molten salt at a near commercial scale. 2. To mitigate the perceived risk associated with first commercial molten-salt power tower plants.
	Advantages of Solar 2 in using molten salt is that it stores energy more efficiently and cost effectively .This allows power generation into evening hours and during inclement weather. The effect of this storage system is that it effectively compensates the reduced output during cloudy conditions. The stream is generated at a steady rate, so that the turbine/generator operates at a high efficiency all of the time.
	Alongside the Solar 2 plant is a more recent solar energy project where long parallel rows of cylindrical mirrors reflect the solar energy to their focal points where pipes containing water are located . (You can see the pipe glowing white, above the reflector)
	Water is heated in the pipes to generate stream ,which then drives turbines. The turbines then drive the generators to produce the electrical energy. The only sound you are likely to hear is the creaking of the mechanical mechanism as it turns the reflector to follow the Sun, so that the greatest concentration of solar energy can be received at all times during the day.
Solar 2 project included a number of different participants, including local governement and private agencies. Participants included Arizona Public Service Co., California Energy Commission, and other departments and Institutes of California Arizona and Los Angeles. Contributers included Chilean Nitrate, and Nevada Powerlight. Cost shared between Boeing/Rocketdyne, Gould Pumps, Raychem and The Industrial Co. Government partners included the US Dept of Energy , Sandia National Laboratories, and National Renewable Energy Laboratories.
Most of the travels were spent along the famous Route 66, and I-40 ...and following the Santa-Fe Railroad.