SharperSun Product (US Patent Pending)

The SharperSun trough is a high performance parabolic trough concentrating solar thermal collector. Its simple but innovative design is devised after best & proven utility-scale parabolic trough designs with important innovations to improve performance & significantly reduce capital, installation and operating costs. SharperSun system consists of four major components namely parabolic aluminum panels, reflector mirror film, receiver tube & single axis tracking system.

Larger Aperture Parabolic Trough

Innovative Aluminum Frame design to reduce weight of the trough by more than 50% has been designed in USA and locally manufactured in India. SharperSun Space Frame is a specially designed structure to reduce assembly time on the ground as well as creates a perfect parabolic structure with rims to slide the aluminum reflective silver mirror film based sheets easily. The innovative design of frame has following advantages:


  • Designed for easy, compact to transport
  • Easy to assembly on site and reduced labor costs
  • Sturdy structure
  • Lighter weight to reduce auxiliary power consumption
  • Long-lasting, durable and corrosion resistant Aluminum Structure

Tracking System

SharperSun uses a single axis tracking. Our design team has developed a system that has a wide acceptance angle. SharperSun team is working on innovative tracking system that significantly reduces auxiliary power consumption required for tracking. The motors make more small steps during the day to move the rays from 80o east to 80o west. The tracker then returns to neutral stowed position overnight. Just before dawn it rotates 85o to east to face the rising sun.

Innovative Receiver Tube

Innovative receiver tube reduces the cost of CST significantly.

 

100KWth Solar Block

The innovative receiver tube structure helps us to make SharperSun more modular in nature. The 100KWth Solar Block is a rectangular block of 6 concentrating parabolic troughs.

Direct Steam Generation or Thermic Fluid Heating

Solar Thermal System that uses inexpensive water as well suitable HTF/thermic fluid based upon temperature needs.

Mirror Film

The SharperSun trough uses glass-free, slide-in reflective mirror panels made with highly reflective Mirror Film. They are lightweight, easy to manufacture, ship and install, and significantly reduce construction time and cost compared to a conventional glass-mirrored parabolic trough system. • SharperSun’s Larger Aperture Parabolic Trough using Aluminum sheets with 3M-1100 Silver Mirror Film. • Higher specular reflectance. • Superb weathering and general durability • Non-Breakable, Easy to maintain mirror surface • Scalable in production as film can be produced in large quantities like new newspapers. • 3M Solar Mirror Film 1100 reflector sheets are 50% lighter than glass, and offer 94.5% reflectivity.

SharperSun Advantages

SharperSun trough has numerous advantages over existing concentrating solar power troughs for process heat applications. SharperSun trough design maintains simplicity while providing global quality standards and specifications for industrial applications.The SharperSun trough is based on proven parabolic trough geometry but incorporates several innovative features that set it apart from glass based troughs:

  • Lighter aluminum space frame with fewer parts
  • Lower cost reflector panels
  • Larger diameter and longer receiver tubes to reduce cost and
  • Increased performance with design innovations
  • More robust, higher performance and lower cost tracking, drive and control system
  • Shatterproof, non-glass reflector panels made with Solar Mirror Film
  • Modular design for faster field assembly time
  • Compact shipping and less labor requirement.