GLTRS--Glenn
TITLE AND SUBTITLE:
Design and Fabrication of a Dielectric Total Internal Reflecting Solar Concentrator and Associated Flux Extractor for Extreme High Temperature (2500K) Applications

AUTHOR(S):
Jack A. Soules, Donald R. Buchele, Charles H. Castle and Robert P. Macosko

REPORT DATE:
November 1997

FUNDING NUMBERS:
WU-953-73-10
C-NAS3-27600

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
Analex Corporation
3001 Aerospace Parkway
Brook Park, Ohio 44142

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER:
E-10893

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES):
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Lewis Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio 44135-3191

REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED:
Final Contractor Report

SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER:
NASA CR-204145

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:
Jack A. Soules, Charles H. Castle, and Robert P. Macosko, Analex Corporation, 3001 Aerospace Parkway, Brook Park, Ohio 44142; Donald R. Buchele, ADF Corporation, 3003 Aerospace Parkway, Brook Park, Ohio 44142. Project Manager, Carol M. Tolbert, Power and On-Board Propulsion Technology Division, NASA Lewis Research Center, organization code 5490, (216) 433-6167.

ABSTRACT:
The Analex Corporation, under contract to the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC), Cleveland, Ohio, recently evaluated the feasibility of utilizing refractive secondary concentrators for solar heat receivers operating at temperatures up to 2500K. The feasibility study pointed out a number of significant advantages provided by solid single crystal refractive devices over the more conventional hollow reflective compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs). In addition to the advantages of higher concentration ratio and efficiency, the refractive concentrator, when combined with a flux extractor rod, provides for flux tailoring within the heat receiver cavity. This is a highly desirable, almost mandatory, feature for solar thermal propulsion engine designs presently being considered for NASA and Air Force solar thermal applications. Following the feasibility evaluation, the NASA-LeRC, NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and Analex Corporation teamed to design, fabricate, and test a refractive secondary concentrator/flux extractor system for potential use in the NASA-MSFC ³Shooting Star² flight experiment. This paper describes the advantages and technical challenges associated with the development of a refractive secondary concentrator/flux extractor system for this application. In addition it describes the design methodologies developed and utilized and the material and fabrication limitations encountered.

SUBJECT TERMS:
Solar power; Solar thermal power; Solar concentrators; Secondary concentrators;
Solar flux tailoring; High temperature crystals

NUMBER OF PAGES:
18

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1997/CR-204145.pdf
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