Effects of Ambient Temperature and Solar Radiation on Solar Chimney Power Plants (SCPP) Performances

Abstract

In this paper, the air flow inside the Solar Chimney Power Plants (SCPP) of Manzanares (Spain) has been investigated through numerical simulation, aiming to study the influence of environmental parameters on the SCPP performances. The electrical power produced by the SCPP of different regions in Algeria has been also compared in order to determine the best location for the installation of SCPP in Algeria. The resolution of Navier-Stokes equations that govern the air flow through the SCPP has been conducted using Ansys Fluent software. The k–ε RNG model and the standard wall mode have been selected to simulate the turbulent flow conditions, while the discrete ordinate model has been chosen for the thermal radiation modulation. The solar radiation had a direct effect on the output power while it had no effect on the effectiveness of the SCPP. The Ambient temperature has negatively affected the SCPP efficiency and the output power. Based on the results of this study, solar radiation and ambient temperature are the two main factors that could allow the possibility of adopting the SCPP system in a specific region. The global solar radiation is the dominant factor in the allocation of SCPP output power, relatively to the ambient temperature. It has been concluded that areas with high solar radiation and low ambient temperature are more appropriate for SCPP installation to increase electrical energy production.