SBIR Phase I: Powerhouse: An Integrated End-Use Tied Solar Thermal and Power System

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在测试住宅规模的综合机械系统的可行性，该系统可以提供低能耗家庭的所有能源需求，包括供暖、制冷、热水和100%现场产生的可再生能源。如果被证明是可行的，预计在安装成本的基础上，该系统将与现有的普通HVAC（供暖、通风和空调）系统具有成本竞争力。该项目的第一期将通过太阳能和储热的结合，重点供应热终端用途，包括烹饪、生活热水和空间供暖。第一阶段研究的更广泛影响是使碳中和生活成为一种实用的、负担得起的、广泛可用的选择。这项技术有潜力利用可再生能源深入渗透到国家电力系统中，减少电力部门的碳排放，并长期支持电力公司具有成本效益和风险意识的基础设施投资。此外，拟议的综合机械系统的商业化可以扩大被认为适合可再生能源的场址的数量，改善获得负担得起的住房的机会，并在绿色建筑方面创造就业机会。该项目将测试综合机械和电力系统的可行性，以零增量成本实现零碳住宅。已经确定了两个组件对拟议系统的系统级成本效率至关重要，并将在第一阶段进行研究：(1)一种新型，方便的室内太阳能炊具；(2)一种低成本，屋顶集成的太阳能集热器，在空间加热模式下具有高效运行。研究目标包括展示一种利用储存的热能进行烹饪的新方法；建造适合寒冷气候的太阳能集热器原型，成本不到玻璃平板集热器的一半，并开发热电负载控制逻辑，以满足美国市场的电力接入和舒适度预期。该项目将测试一种新的太阳能烹饪方法的烹饪质量和烹饪时间，并建造第一个原型炊具；对新型太阳能集热器进行了样机设计和效率测试；开发系统的动态仿真，作为超低能耗家庭的一部分，以测试负载控制的调度；并预测拟议系统的经济效益。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to test the feasibility of a residential-scale, integrated mechanical system that supplies all energy needs of a low energy home, including heating, cooling, hot water, and power with 100% site-generated, renewable energy. If proven feasible, the system is expected to be cost-competitive with common existing HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) systems on an installed cost basis. Phase I of this project will focus on the supply of thermal end uses including cooking, domestic hot water, and space heating through a combination of solar energy and thermal storage. The broader impact of this Phase I research is to make carbon-neutral living a practical, affordable, and widely available option. The technology has the potential to leverage deep penetration of renewable energy into the nation's electric power system, reduce carbon emissions of the power sector, and support cost-effective, risk-aware infrastructure investments by electric utilities in the long term. In addition, the commercialization of the proposed integrated mechanical system could expand the number of sites deemed to be appropriate for renewable energy, improve access to affordable housing in general, and create job opportunities in green construction. This project will test the feasibility of an integrated mechanical and power system to achieve a zero carbon home at zero incremental cost. Two components have been identified as being critical to the system-level cost efficiencies of the proposed system and will be investigated in Phase I: (1) a novel, convenient, indoor solar cooker and (2) a low-cost, roof-integrated, solar thermal collector with high-efficiency operation in space heating mode. The research targets include demonstration of a new means of cooking using stored thermal energy; construction of a solar thermal collector prototype suitable for cold climates that costs less than half that of glazed flat plate collectors, and development of control logic for thermal and electrical loads to meet power access and comfort expectations of the U.S. market. The project will test the cooking quality and cooking times of a new solar cooking method and build a first prototype cooker; prototype and measure the efficiency of the new solar thermal collector; develop a dynamic simulation of the system as part of an ultra-low energy home to test scheduling of load controls; and project the economics of the proposed system.