The Suns of Power design team from California Polytechnic State University, Mechanical Engineering Department, senior project: design, analyze, build, test and operate a solar thermal electric generator that is capable of producing at least 200 W of usable electricity over the course of 1 hour. As of April 19th, 2009, the system is almost completed. In this video we are hooking up the final components. We are testing the flowmeter, pressure gauges, thermocouples, pump, steam separator and various other components. Here's how the cycle works: Water is pumped through the collection pipe (11' painted stainless steel, enclosed by a 10' shot glass tube) located at the focal point of the mirror. When the mirror is focused at the sun, the water is boiled into steam. The steam leaves the collection pipe and flows into a steam separator. The steam flows through the top line of the separator, while any condensate drains through the bottom of the separator. In the steam line (on the top side of the cart), the steam travels through a needle valve that is used for throttling the steam engine. Also on this line is a pressure gauge and a displacement lubricator. Steam enters the lubricator and condensates. The condensate falls to the bottom and displaces the steam engine piston oil into the steam line. The steam then reaches that steam engine. The flywheel will soon be connected to a DC motor used as a generator. The steam then exits the steam engine through a check valve and meets up <b>...</b>
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