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集成机械系统的可行性，该系统可提供低能耗家庭的所有能源需求，包括供暖、制冷、热水和电力，以及100%现场生成的可再生能源。如果证明可行，该系统预计将在安装成本的基础上与普通现有的暖通空调(暖气、通风和空调)系统相比具有成本竞争力。该项目的第一阶段将侧重于通过太阳能和蓄热相结合的方式供应热终端用途，包括烹饪、家庭热水和空间供暖。这项第一阶段研究的更广泛影响是使碳中性生活成为一种实际的、负担得起的和广泛可用的选择。这项技术有可能利用可再生能源对国家电力系统的深度渗透，减少电力部门的碳排放，并支持电力公用事业公司进行具有成本效益和风险意识的长期基础设施投资。此外，拟议的综合机械系统的商业化可以扩大被认为适合使用可再生能源的地点的数量，改善普遍获得负担得起的住房的机会，并在绿色建筑领域创造就业机会。该项目将测试机械和电力一体化系统的可行性，以零增量成本实现零碳家园。已确定两个组件对拟议系统的系统一级成本效益至关重要，并将在第一阶段进行研究：(1)新型、方便的室内太阳灶和(2)低成本、屋顶集成、在空间供暖模式下高效运行的太阳能集热器。研究目标包括展示一种利用储存的热能做饭的新方法；建造适用于成本不到釉面平板集热器一半的寒冷气候的太阳能集热器原型，以及开发热和电负载的控制逻辑，以满足美国市场对电力接入和舒适性的期望。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；制作新的太阳能集热器的原型并测量其效率；开发该系统的动态模拟，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性。

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.