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Courses/Engineering/Energy Management

Introduction to Solar Parabolic Troughs

Parabolic trough technology is currently the most proven concentrating solar thermal electric technology.

Created byHarlan Bengtson, PhD, PE
4.2
(39 reviews)
BeginnerUpdated Jan 12, 2025
Introduction to Solar Parabolic Troughs

What You'll Learn

check_circleUnderstand the general configuration and components of solar parabolic trough systems.
check_circleLearn about hybridization capabilities and the benefits of parabolic trough concentrating solar technology.
check_circleExplore the environmental and operational impacts of parabolic trough systems.
check_circleAnalyze siting requirements and the efficiency of parabolic trough technology for energy generation.

About This Course

Solar parabolic trough concentrating solar power systems convert the thermal energy in solar radiation to mechanical energy and then to electrical energy in much the same way that conventional power plants convert thermal energy from combustion of a fossil fuel to electricity. They use an array of single axis parabolic trough shaped mirrors to concentrate incoming direct normal insolation to a receiver and ultimately generate high pressure steam and generate electricity. Parabolic trough technology is currently the most proven concentrating solar thermal electric technology.

Topics: General configuration Components of a parabolic trough Hybridization capabilities Benefits Impacts Siting requirements Intended Audience: energy, mechanical, electrical, construction, and civil engineers. However, this course could appeal to engineers of other disciplines as well.. An attendee of this course will gain knowledge about the solar parabolic trough concentrating solar technology. Publication Source: US Dept. of Energy

Your Instructor

Harlan Bengtson, PhD, PE
Harlan Bengtson, PhD, PE
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star2,706 reviews

Dr. Harlan Bengtson is an online PDH course provider of continuing education courses for professional engineers. Dr. Bengtson is a graduate of Iowa State University with B.S. and M.S. degrees and of the University of Colorado with a PhD. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri. Dr. Bengtson has spent 30 years in engineering education in teaching and administrative positions, including six years as Dean of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Dr. Harlan H. Bengtson, PE 33 Grainey Drive Glen Carbon, IL 62034 Phone: (618) 406-6892 E-mail: hnkbengtson@yahoo.com PROFESSIONAL PROFILE Dr. Bengtson is a graduate of Iowa State University with B.S. and M.S. degrees and of the University of Colorado with a PhD. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri. He has spent 30 years in engineering education in teaching and administrative positions, including six years as Dean of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. His areas of expertise are environmental engineering, hydrology and hydraulics, engineering science and renewable energy systems. He has done regular consulting work while holding the academic positions. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Bengtson worked for Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing as a Product Development Engineer and for E. I. duPont deNemours as a Process Development Engineer. Dr. Bengtson has authored numerous publications, presentations and technical reports. He is currently active as a freelance technical writer, author of continuing education courses for Professional Engineers, and is the founder of www.engineeringexceltemplates.com and www.EngineeringExcelSpreadsheets.com, sites with the objective of providing inexpensive, easy to use Excel spreadsheets for a variety of engineering calculations.

Credit Information

Do these courses count toward my professional development requirements?

This portal is provided as a training and development resource for City of Markham employees. Every course is delivered by a qualified subject matter expert or learning organization, is quantifiable in hours, and is verifiable — you receive a documented certificate of completion for every course you finish, stored on LearnFormula indefinitely.

If you hold a professional designation (for example in engineering, accounting, human resources, or law), courses may be counted as professionally relevant, verifiable learning activities toward your continuing professional development. Individual practitioners are responsible for confirming that an activity meets the requirements of their professional body. For questions about the City of Markham's training and development policies, please speak with your people leader or Human Resources.

What Students Are Saying

4.2
Student's Choice
39 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.