SOLAR THERMAL DESIGN ASSISTANCE CENTER USER FACILITY The Solar Thermal Design Assistance Center offers two types of services: 1) Assisting manufacturers of solar thermal and/or related products to help reduce the cost of their products and/or improve their reliability, and 2) Helping users apply solar thermal technologies to meet specific needs. Center personnel, working in conjunction with Sandia's Advanced Manufacturing Center, are available to work with manufacturers on technical issues involving product realization. This realization cycle includes product concept, design, prototyping, testing, manufacturing processes, production, field evaluation, and disposal. The center incorporates technical facilities and associated expertise throughout Sandia to address problems such as those involving materials, system and component modeling, non-destructive testing, welding, soldering and brazing, plating, prototyping, electronic and mechanical system reliability, power conditioning, and environmental issues relating to disposal. The center also is associated with Sandia's National Solar Thermal Test Facility that is available for field testing of high-temperature solar thermal and associated products. The center also provides consulting to organizations who are considering the application of solar thermal technology. Center personnel can provide information about the status of a given technology, such as trough systems for generating steam or flat-plate systems that heat water, and give an evaluation of how well a system might perform in a proposed application. Economic and energy performance can be estimated for specific applications using the user's criteria. In addition, center personnel can advise on the cost effectiveness and technical feasibility of repowering existing, non-operating solar thermal systems. The services of the center are available to the private sector and government agencies on a first come, first serve basis. However, the proposed project activities must not compete with those offered in the private industry. Private sector organizations can contract for use of these facilities and services through a User Facility Agreement; government organizations can contract with Sandia through a Work for Others Agreement. Both processes are reasonable easy to implement and provide for cost reimbursement for the use of Sandia's staff and facilities. To make arrangements to use this facility contact Joanne Trujillo, Sandia National Labs, Mail Stop 1380, Albuquerque, NM 87185, 505-271-4202 (FAX).

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