Advancing Microchannel Technology in Heat Exchangers and Heat Management Devices
WCEC developed the Solar/Supercritical CO₂ Thermal and Energy Enhancement Laboratory (STEEL) to advance research in heat exchanger technology for a variety of applications such as solar power generation, thermal desalination, waste heat utilization, and solar fuels. The STEEL facility is equipped with a 7-m parabolic solar dish that is capable of concentrating sunlight by nearly 1,000 times at the focal area.
Past Projects
Innovations in Ground-Source Heat Pumps
This project, funded by the California Energy Commission, demonstrates a less expensive method for implementing ground-source heat pump technology by using shallow-bore helical ground source heat exchangers (GHEs) instead of deep vertical bores.