A New Generation of Medium Temperature Collector for Solar Cooling1

Abstract

PrologueIn the early 1970s, I began a research effort at Argonne National Laboratory to develop the nonimaging nontracking solar concentrator I had recently invented which became known as the compound parabolic concentrator or CPC. I had lots of help; in particular from lab director, Robert G. Sachs 1, Gale Pewitt, William Schertz, and many others. The lab recruited some of the best scientists in the world, in the relevant fields to work with me: for optics, Walter Welford, and for solar energy, Frank Kreith. Our first project was solar domestic hot water (DHW) for the “Breadsprings elementary schoolâ€‌ in a Navajo Indian reservation near Gallup, NM. The collector was a threefold concentration nonevacuated CPC. Because threefold concentration can only accept solar motions for half the year, it was oriented for winter. Like every other project I ever collaborated on with Frank Kreith, it was a big success. I thought it was fitting to submit a paper on a recent “CPCâ€‌ for much higher temperature (200 آ°C), totally stationary, and driving a doubleeffect absorption chiller.