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Three tethered balloons were deployed both upwind and downwind of Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility during a falling-particle receiver test . The team, led by Cliff Ho, found that the concentration of tiny particles, finer than talcum powder, that escape from the receiver were much lower than Environmental Protection Agency limits. (Randy Montoya/Sandia National Laboratories)
What do tiny dust particles, 22-foot-wide red balloons and “concentrated” sunlight have in common?
Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories recently used 22-foot-wide tethered balloons to collect samples of airborne dust particles to ensure the safety of an emerging solar-power technology. The study determined that the dust created by the new technology is far below hazardous levels, said Cliff Ho, the lead researcher on the project. Ho’s team just received $25 million from the Department of Energy to build a pilot plant that will incorporate this technology.