Moving mirrors in solar power plant

. This facility, 25 miles south of Las Vegas is the world’s third largest solar concentrator power plant, and spans 400 acres. It generates about 129 million kWh annually, sufficient to power more than 14,000 homes. Curved mirrored surfaces concentrate the sun’s heat on receiver tubes containing a heat transfer fluid capable of achieving temperatures of 120-260ºC. This fluid is used to produce steam that drives a generator system to produce electricity. Each of the 760 solar collectors includes a customised Parker HTR300 Series rack and pinion hydraulic actuator, control valves, solenoid valves, pumps, cylinders, seals and wear bands, and pre-bent tubing/fitting assemblies. The system is designed to withstand backlash from high winds, by allowing the solar troughs to slip and rotate in a controlled fashion, through pressure relief valves, without damaging the motion control mechanics.