Abstract
The energy assessment carried out in a middle-sized CSP parabolic field of 120 m2 is presented; it provides pre-heating water at 70°C to the boilers of the lemon essential oil extraction process in an agro-industrial company located in Piura, at the border of Sechura desert in Peru. The parabolic cylindrical solar concentrators are made with glass reflectors, an automatic solar tracking system, and collector tubes through which water flows. It was measured that each collector converts solar energy and transfer it as a thermal energy to the water with an average efficiency of 18.1%. Considering this result, theoretically the whole solar field could provide 550.37 GJ/year for water preheating, which is equivalent to saving 28151.8 liters of LPG, and 46.87 tons of CO2 released to the environment. However, after a year of operation, the solar field provided only 99.59 GJ for water preheating, saving 4 705.26 liters of LPG, equivalent to stop emitting 7.69 tons of CO2 to the environment. An overall thermal energy efficiency of the CSP solar field in 18.1% was estimated. According to the financial assessment with the actual annual data, the period of recovery of the investment is estimated to be 4.4 years, 3.6 more years than theoretical projection.
Highlights
Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology has been mainly used in electricity generation, with huge solar concentration fields [1] -especially those of the parabolic trough collector and solar power tower type [2], in different countries around the world [3]
4.2 Previously thermal energy evaluation Based on experimental data obtained during two months from 100 m2 CSP parabolic field installed previously in Ica it is known that for an average incident solar irradiance of 767.15 W/m2, the amount of thermal power transferred to the water averaged 357.3 W/m2
From equation (1) the total thermal energy obtained in the CSP parabolic field considering Isol,av = 728 W/m2, ACSP = 120 m2, n = 250 days and t = 25200 s, is Eth,CSP = 550.368 GJ/year
Summary
Concentrated solar power (CSP) technology has been mainly used in electricity generation, with huge solar concentration fields [1] -especially those of the parabolic trough collector and solar power tower type [2] -, in different countries around the world [3]. It is well known that medium-sized parabolic concentrators are best suited to reach temperatures around 150 °C, and in conjunction with a thermal energy storage system, are capable of covering the entire energy demand of the industry [7] in an economically competitive way, contributing to reduce the carbon footprint [8]. For this reason, the parabolic concentrators are the most used around the world [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
