Solar power tower: Upington

[Gompou]

http://www.nrel.gov/csp/solarpaces/proj ... jectID=244

Hi

If you follow the attach link you will get the info regarding the new solar power project near Upington. What is interesting is the tower height of 200 meter(660 feet). According to local news sources this will be the third highest tower in SA. The project is already on the go and at this stage the tower is visible from far away.

You surely will not collide by accident into this structure. What is off interest to me as a microlight pilot is the effect that this whole project will have on turbulence if you go near or over it? Taking in consideration that the system works with a type of mirror that heats a source on top of the tower that cause steam and then drive a generator , this will obvious generate a lot of heat. With such a heat source there will probably be turbulence, or a updraft. Perhaps more so in winter time.

Doesn't now if there will be any difference in summer time?

Personally I don't have any knowledge of the workings of this type of power generation. Perhaps some one with more insight can help me out, or just speculate.

Vlieg veilig
Gompou

[kloot piloot]

Very interesting topic Gompou ! (Similar to the wind generator discussion going on Avcom). I enjoyed a Popular Mechanics article some years ago on similar solar farms in Spain and Mexico.

A solar farm should not have a huge impact on flying, but several new types of "turbulence" might affect flying slightly.

1. The receptor tower will create downwind mechanical turbulence, similar to flying downwind of high trees.
2. The steam heat will be utilised to a maximum and I doubt whether this will have any major impact on flying, whether winter or summer.
3. The reflector "farm" consists of hectares of mirrors concentrating sunlight back to the receptor. This in itself should not impact on flying. However, the ground under these mirrors will be in shade and this will cause differential air temperatures which will trigger thermals and dust devils, although only to be expected later in the day.

As for early morning and late afternoon flying, you are more likely to encounter slightly disturbed air as a result of retained heat in tarred roads, paving, infrastructure and the steel structures supporting the mirrors. I reckon it will be disturbing, but less disturbing to fly over a solar farm than it is to fly over coal fired townships (and squatter camps) on cold winter mornings.

Would love to hear other's thoughts though ...

[Conrad]

I am one of the instrumentation designers / reviewers on this project from WorleyParsons,
and yes,
end next year we will have electrical power via sun, mirror, salt and steam...

see this
http://www.csp-world.com/tags/kaxu-solar-one

[Gompou]

Hi Kloot

The height of the tower and the whole project just look impressive. I take it from your answer that the solar farms that work with PV panels will in effect have more turbulence than the mirror system. More so the SKA project near Carnavon. There will be 2400 dishes with a diameter of 12 meter each.

Gompou

[kloot piloot]

Conrad, must be amazing to be involved with such an innovative project in Africa ! Must be a first for the continent if I am correct ? Are there more planned for SA ?
I see in your link it is an Abengoa-IDC partnership. Who is/are Abengoa" ?

Gompou, a PV farm will generally consist of more heat absorbing materials (black) and release thermals once saturation of energy has been reached, which should be fairly regular and turbulent. Reflectors will absorb minimal heat and should not create significant turbulence.

Flying between the mirrors and the receptor will however blind you big time , but I am sure they will classify these installations as FAD's or even restrict aviation altogether in the vicinity.

I see in the link you posted that the steam will be "dry cooled". No idea what that is. Spain and US are using condensers opposed to Eskom cooling towers. If dry cooled refers to Eskom cooling towers, I am afraid a whole different turbulence profile will be created.

Please keep us updated with photos

[JeraldHowell]

Hi Kloot

The height of the tower and the whole project just look impressive. I take it from your answer that the solar farms that work with solar panel will in effect have more turbulence than the mirror system. More so the SKA project near Carnavon. There will be 2400 dishes with a diameter of 12 meter each.

Gompou

It was very impressive project indeed.. Is it completed? I am trying to gather some more information about the project so can you help me out? Waiting for reply thanks in advance:)

[Boet]

Another similar one going up near Pofadder, and a big windfarm going up about 50k`s North of Loeriesfontein. You can have a look on Google Earth at the sun thang, it is about 10k`s SW of Upington. HUUUUUGE!!

[Gompou]

Hallo JeraldHowell,
Project still in progress, tower still under construction. Surrounding area has been cleared, they busy installing "mirrors". I'll try and get a photo, will post later.
Fly safe.
Gompou

[Peter.L.]

The dishes at the SKA project are basically just extra large satellite dishes, same principle as your DSTV dish. They are intended to concentrate and amplify extremely weak electromagnetic waves from deep space, not radiation from the sun, so their heat coefficient is probably going to be very low indeed. It is doubtful if they will result in major changes in thermal effects or increased turbulence in the vicinity, however, I'm not a scientist so I could be mistaken.

[Gompou]

Hi Peter.
The dishes at ska is 12 m in diameter and white . if you multiply it by 2400 you get a big white area just in front of a mountain(klipkoppe) that is black. it is the difference in color that make me think that you could get a temperature difference/turbulence.
I suppose only time will tell.
fly safe
gompou

[Gompou]

Photo is from the GoNorthencape site.
Fly safe
Gompou