Page 61 - Solar Power in Building Design The Engineer's Complete Design Resource

AMONIX MEGACONCENTRATORS 31

Figure 2.10 MegaConcentrator module two axis hydraulic tracking
system. Photo courtesy of Amonix.

malfunctions of the inverter, fuses, or PV strings; tracking anomalies; or poor environ-
mental conditions. The monitoring system is also used to determine when the lenses have
become soiled and need to be washed. The central supervisory system also provides diag-
nostic data acquisition from the hydraulic drive system operating parameters such as fluid
level, pump cycling frequency, and deviations from normal operating range, which in turn
are stored in the memory archives for monitoring and diagnostic purposes. These data are
retrievable from a central operating facility and can be used to diagnose a current prob-
lem or to detect a potential future problem. The supervisory control program in addition
to the preceding provides equipment parts replacement data for the site maintenance
personnel. Figure 2.11 depicts a typical Amonix MegaConcentrator solar farm.

SPECIFIC CASE STUDIES
To date, over 570 kW of the fifth-generation MegaConcentrator system have been
manufactured and installed over the last 6 years. The first three 20-kW units have been
in operation since May of 2000. Over the same period of time several additional units
have been installed at Arizona Public Service (APS) and the University of Nevada, Las
Vegas, which have generated over 3.5 GWh of grid power.

APS STAR Center, west field, Tempe, Arizona There are currently 145 kW in
operation in the west field at the APS STAR facility in Tempe, Arizona. The field now
consists of three 25-kW units and two 35-kW units. Initially there were three 20-kW