The Research Infrastructure developed at NCSR “Demokritos”, named “Archimedes”, has been included in the National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures and funded within the «PROMETHEUS : A Research Infrastructure for the Integrated Energy Chain» Project, under the Action “Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure” of NSRF 2014-2020
Its main objective is the formation of a pole of technological and scientific excellence in the field of utilization of thermal energy produced by concentrating solar systems. It focuses in particular on concentrating systems for meeting thermal loads in the temperature range of 100°C - 300°C, with potential applications in the :
• Industrial Sector (Process Heat)
• Power generation based on organic-fluid thermodynamic cycles
• Building Sector (Heating Cooling)
• Tourism Sector (Hotel Units)
• Agricultural Sector (Drying, Greenhouses)
The development of such an infrastructure in Greece aims at creating new growth opportunities for the national solar industry through the transition to concentrating technologies, as well as at the fostering of collaboration between research groups from various research institutes and universities active in related subject areas. This will, in turn, create prospects for further improvements in the national energy mix, towards a more significant contribution of solar energy.
The main solar radiation concentration technologies comprise parabolic-trough collectors (PTC) and linear Fresnel reflectors. Thermal energy storage technologies for medium temperatures are also included, both for sensible and latent heat storage (Phase Change Materials), as well as suitable facility for the testing of advanced heat transfer fluids for concentrated solar systems.
This facility encompasses activities related to the storage of thermal energy produced by the concentrated solar systems of the infrastructure, operating at medium temperatures (100°C - 250°C).
+Parabolic-trough collectors are a widely-spread solar concentrating technology, in which SESL/NCSR-D has been engaged with relevant research activities for several years now.
+The infrastructure of SESL/NCSR-D features also a concentrating collector of the Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) type, capable of producing medium temperature thermal energy and which has been extensively employed in research activities over the past few years.
+This section of the infrastructure allows the characterization of novel working fluids with improved thermophysical properties for concentrating solar systems of medium operating temperatures.
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