Biography
Ansel Blumenthal is a mechanical engineer and member of the technical staff in the Concentrating Solar Power program at Sandia National Laboratories. Ansel’s research includes the refurbishment of the National Solar Thermal Test Facility heliostat field with new heliostat dual axis controller hardware and a major revamp of the controller software, allowing for more accurate pointing, less wear on the azimuth and elevation angle gearing, quicker response, and the ability to seamlessly transition between testing on the Generation 2 tower and Generation 3 Pilot Power Plant. Ansel also helped develop the addition of wireless capabilities for heliostat control at the NSTTF, allowing the facility the capability to switch between wired and wireless communications. Ansel’s other research includes high temperature synthetic corundum formation, agrivoltaics with islanded microgrid integration, and thermal energy storage with process heat applications. Ansel acted as a heliostat field test operator and as heliostat field test director for the NSTTF.
When not at the NSTTF, Ansel spends his time woodworking, playing water polo, and volunteering for the Albuquerque-based chamber music experience Chatter.
- Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2021
- Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2022
Publications
Armijo, Kenneth, Blumenthal, Ansel, Madden, Dimitri, Rodriguez, Aaron, Garcia-Maldonado, Luis, Parsons, Alice, O’Grady, Shannon, Pacheco, Sandra, Andraka, Charles, and Gordon, Margaret. 2022. “CSP Historical Library Archive Extension Project Final Report.” https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1891694.
Anaya, Guillermo, Armijo, Kenneth, David, Overacker, Aaron, Madden, Dimitri, Blumenthal, Ansel, Vorobieff, Peter, and Gowtham, Mohan. 2022. “Analysis of Different Permutation of a Hybrid Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) System.” https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/2005702.
