Solar Energy

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E-Fann Saung
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Candidate)
San Diego State University
Specialization in Design and Manufacturing
2010 - 2013 (expected graduation)
B.S.-Mechanical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, 2008

Large windows are being evaluated for use in high temperature concentrated solar receivers to reduce radiative and convective losses, maintain a differential pressure, and separate reactants from ambient air in receivers for chemical processing. The design of a 1.7 meter diameter quartz dome window is evaluated for its ability to maintain acceptable tensile stresses when exposed to pressure differentials and large heat loads from solar irradiation and re-radiation from inside the receiver. Just as important as the window itself is the way the window is mounted. My research involves the design process of a window mount prototype for a solar receiver called the Small Particle Heat Exchange Receiver (SPHER) intended to be built and tested at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility at Sandia National Laboratories. Commercialization is considered where material procurement, cost, reliability, and assembly are heavily weighed.