Solar Concentrator PDR with solar tracking

The reduction in conventional fuels consumption can be accomplished through the use of solar energy, transforming it into thermal energy throught a solar collector. There are a lot of solar collector kind, but the solar concentration way, specifically the parabolic dish reflector technology, or just PDR solar concentrator, offers one of the most efficient paths to achieve high quality thermal energy. Usually, the PDR solar concentrator are designed in big dimensions in order to generate electrical energy; nevertheless this technology could be used in minor scale in order to generate solar concentration high levels to achieve enough thermal energy to satisfy hot water demand in residential buildings, homes and even the industry. The prototype here presented was developed in four phases: The parabolic dish, the gear box and mechanical support device, the sun tracking control system and finally the system integration and operational tests. The four phases conjunction results in a totally operative prototype with the capability of achieve temperatures of 400 ºC, over a concentration focal point under partially cloudy day conditions.