Installation Of Solar Collectors Research Articles

Design and transient analysis of renewable energy-based residential net-zero energy buildings with energy storage

In this research, by the installation of solar collectors and photovoltaic panels, a building with almost zero energy emissions is designed in TRNSYS software, and with a parameter study on a residential building located in a typical city, the optimal design conditions to provide suitable conditions for thermal comfort, and the electrical power required by the building is suggested. Also, to improve the investigated system, in addition to the two-dimensional design, the three-dimensional design of the building is examined. After the design of the building, it is observed that Bushehr is suitable for designing a building with almost zero energy emissions through the installation of solar collectors and photovoltaic panels due to having the appropriate intensity of sunlight. Also, due to the suitable radiation conditions, it is suitable to use a battery to store electrical energy, and also because the cooling load required to provide thermal comfort in the summer season is high, therefore, the use of a diesel engine is suitable for use in emergency situations. Among the different fuels for starting a diesel engine, diesel fuel has the lowest consumption, and hydrogen fuel has the highest consumption.

The Internet of Things for the Intelligent Management of the Heating of a Swimming Pool by Means of Smart Sensors

By using various smart sensors integrated in a global domotic system, a proper solar thermal management is executed. The goal is to properly manage solar energy for heating swimming pool using various devices installed at home. Swimming pools are a necessity in many communities. In summer, they are a source of refreshment. However, maintaining a swimming pool at an optimal temperature can be a challenge even in the summer months. The use of the Internet of Things in homes has enabled proper management of solar thermal energy, thus significantly improving the quality of life by making homes more comfortable and safer without using additional resources. The houses built today have several smart devices that manage to optimize the energy consumption of the house. The solutions proposed in this study to improve energy efficiency in swimming pool facilities include the installation of solar collectors to heat swimming pool water more efficiently. The installation of smart actuation devices (to efficiently control energy consumption of a pool facility via different processes) together with sensors that provide valuable information on energy consumption in the different processes of a pool facility, can optimize energy consumption thus reducing overall consumption (by 90%) and economic cost (by more than 40%). Together, these solutions can help to significantly reduce energy consumption and economic costs and extrapolate it to different processes of similar characteristics in the rest of the society.

New insights into the scientific configuration of a sheet heating system applied in Chinese solar greenhouse

• The shadow range on the north wall were analyzed though the perspective of solar radiation. • Theoretical basis for the solar collector size and installation position was proposed. • Daily average heat collection per unit collector area is 5.6 MJ/m 2 . • The control system can be regulated flexibly according to the indoor microclimate. • The solar water heating system is cost effective in terms of investment and energy saving. The traditional Chinese solar greenhouse (CSG) cannot meet the overwinter production of warm-season plants in the cold north of China. At present, a sheet heating system on the north wall is often used to solve the problem of low temperature in the CSG. However, there is a lack of a theoretical basis for the design of collectors in current research. To address this problem, a theoretical basis for the collector size and installation position of the system from the perspective of solar radiation was proposed in this study. A sheet heating system on the north wall was installed in a CSG in Beijing, which is a solar water recycling system (SWRS). To evaluate the thermal performance of the SWRS, field tests and theoretical verification were carried out. The results indicated that the minimum nighttime indoor temperature increased by 3.1 ℃ on average. The duration of nighttime indoor temperatures greater than 8.0 ℃ accounts for 80.0% in cold January. When the indoor temperature was the minimum, the indoor, north wall, north roof, south roof and ground temperatures increased by 3.4 °C, 2.0 °C, 1.8 °C, 1.0 °C and 1.9 °C, respectively. The indoor temperature could be maintained above 6.0 °C on continuous overcast days. The tomato yield increased by 34%, and the plant morphological parameters were better than those in the control greenhouse. The results of the economic analysis indicated that the SWRS is cost-effective in terms of investment and energy savings.

Energy Applications in Green Building to Fulfil the Goals of Sustainable Development: The Case of Jordan

The aim of this study is to explore measures and options for utilizing the most abundant energy source in Jordan, which is solar energy. The study looks into the actions that Jordan can adopt that will give the stakeholders a higher return on investment. It emphasizes the importance of using such facilities in the applications of green building, which is growing in the country. The methodology is descriptive and analytical, using official data to support these options, such as the price of labor, land, oil, as well as equipment that is used in the building of energy infrastructure. The importance of the options stems from the fact that they minimize the energy gaps to form a thorough policy for any organization or ministry in the government. The study showed that the payback period for the installation of both solar water collectors and solar cell panels is approximately 2 and 2.5 years, respectively. This study has also arrived at several actions and recommendations to shrink the energy gap. The disparity between subsidies for low-energy users and high-energy users has slowed the development of alternative energies. Other kinds of renewable energy, such as hydroelectric and wind power, are underutilized in Jordan, although they can be utilized to reduce the volatility of oil and gas prices.

Impact of dust accumulation and deposits on polycrystalline solar panel: Case of Senegal

This study focuses on the Sahel, one of the areas with the highest concentration of desert dust, with source areas having fine particle emissions in Chad, Niger, Mauritania, etc. It also includes areas of subsidence of air masses that promote the deposition of dust, such as Senegal. It turns out that the countries of Sahel are among the poorest in the world. They have a relatively low electrification rate. However, this area is also characterized by its good solar potential which makes it an ideal place for the installation of photovoltaic solar collectors. Senegal has launched the challenge to solve this problem of electrification by turning to renewable energies. But being a drop zone, the sensors on the ground will be impacted. This study defines the impact of the thickness of the dust deposit layer on a polycrystalline photovoltaic sensor. By looking at the behaviour of irradiation and aerosol deposition in Senegal with the ERA5 and Giovanni data, the intra-annual profile of deposition and irradiation in Senegal was established. By applying the results obtained on the climatology of these parameters to a monocrystalline solar photovoltaic collector, it was contrasted that the evolution of the power, as well as the yield of the collector was strongly impacted by the accumulation of the deposit after 5 years. The power delivered by the collector went from 59.779 W during the month of the 1st year of accumulation to 4.28 W during the last month of the 5th year of accumulation. The resulting yield is also affected. More detailed illustrations are given in this work.   Key words: Dust, accumulation, photovoltaic, polycrystalline, efficiency, Senegal.

Solar fractions of SHIP plants considering the availability of roof area based on OpenStreetMap data

Solar heat for industrial processes (SHIP) can be a key technology to decarbonize the industrial heat demand world-wide. Several national studies use either a bottom-up or a top-down-approach to assess the potential of solar process heat using estimated fixed solar fractions. Due to limited area available for the installation of solar collectors and the seasonality of the load profile, this solar fraction cannot be achieved in all cases. To address this limitation, another estimated factor is used in those studies. However, the impact of the lack of free area on solar fractions and overall solar potential has not been studied in detail so far. Thus, a dataset with load profiles and roof areas from OpenStreetMap GIS data from 489 German companies from secondary and tertiary sector is set up in this study. Based on the standardized pre-design methodology of the VDI 3988 guideline, the evaluations show that one third of the regarded companies lack sufficient roof area whereas two thirds can provide their summer heat demand with solar collectors. Furthermore, the study shows that an ambient temperature dependent heat demand limits the solar potential in terms of solar fraction even more than the available roof area.

Reinterpretation of Dalí's »Vidriera Hipercubica« designed by Pérez Piñero in 1971

In 1971, the Spanish architect Emilio Pérez Piñero designed a foldable system of glass panels to separate the stage from the inner courtyard of the Dalí'Theatre‐Museum in Figueras. It is one of his last projects, before his early death by a car accident, ended abruptly this very creative period of the extraordinary constructor. The project is directly appointed by the artist Salvador Dalí himself, who was enthusiastic about Piñero's filigree constructions and called the foldable structure »Vidriera Hipercubica«, making a reference to the 4th dimension as a constant theme in the art of the 20th century. Analogous to the 4th dimension in physics – time, movement stands for the 4th dimension in architecture. The invention of the last system is patented in 1976, four years after the death of the architect under the description »System of Articulated Planes«. It can be read like a construction manual for the hypercubic glass. In the seminar »Movable Structures«, which takes place every summer semester since 2015 at the Institute of Structural Design at Universität Siegen, the realisation of a reinterpretation of the »Vidriera Hipercúbica« is the content of the current course. Following the assembly instructions of different patents by Pérez Piñero, it is possible to use the movement as a design tool, which allows to interpret the 4th dimension in architecture. One of the objectives is to pass the technical limits of that time and to integrate new possibilities in manufacturing. In particular, new types of glazing material will be used as well as digital production processes for connecting details. The reinterpretation focuses not only in its architectural interest, but also in the further development of the research work started by Piñero 50 years ago as well as to achieve innovative options of application. Hence, the imaginable use of foldable structures for the mobile installation of solar collectors could be one of them.

An Extensive Design Approach Integrating Offshore Residential Buildings and Solar Collectors

Utilization of energy has boosted socio-economic development but meanwhile exacerbated the environmental problems. Offshore areas in China boast abundant solar energy resources. The present work explores the application of solar energy in offshore residential buildings and the ways for integration of solar collectors with the buildings to analyze the potential impact of installation of solar collectors on the design of offshore residential buildings. An extensive design approach that introduces protruding features, outdoor air-conditioner unit spaces, and “virtual” elements into design of residential buildings was proposed, which would integrate the solar collectors into the architectural design and extend the functions of the residential buildings. This research aims to provide a theoretical basis for promoting utilization of solar energy and integrated design of offshore buildings.

Fault Analysis of Solar Thermal Systems in Bhutan

The Royal Government of Bhutan has accorded the highest priority towards diversifying the energy-mix through the promotion of renewable energy technologies. There is a national target to generate 3 MW equivalent of energy from the installation of solar thermal systems alone. However, little investment and priority are given for development of solar thermal applications. Some of the present existing solar water heating (SWH) systems are exhibiting faults which leads to low consumer confidence in SWH technology due to the non-functioning of previous installations which is very detrimental in this introductory stage. This study aims to identify problems of existing SWH systems through field surveys and develop a draft guideline to avoid faults in the future. To analyse the problems with existing SWH systems in Bhutan, the first phase of the study consists of collecting secondary information and opinion from the relevant government sector, local installing companies and end-users. The information on the manufacturer’s products, policy barriers, markets and consumer challenges is also collected. Base on this information, findings on the limitation of existing policy instrument and gap in demand and supply side is described. The second phase of the study comprises field visits to existing SWH system sites. The field surveys of twelve representative existing SWH systems are analyzed. Out of twelve sites, eight SWH systems had critical faults which causes major failure of the system and the other four sites had minor faults. To analyse the faults of existing SWH systems, faults are classified into design faults, plumbing circuit faults, solar collector faults, absorber faults, installation faults and user behavior faults. The major faults which lead to the failure of the existing SWH system are plumbing failure, condensation inside the collector and absorber tube leakage. The causes and solutions of the faults are discussed.

A Theoretical Optimum Tilt Angle Model for Solar Collectors from Keplerian Orbit

Solar energy has been extensively used in industry and everyday life. A more suitable solar collector orientation can increase its utilization. Many studies have explored the best orientation of the solar collector installation from the perspective of data analysis and local-area cases. Investigating the optimal tilt angle of a collector from the perspective of data analysis, or guiding the angle of solar collector installation, requires an a priori theoretical tilt angle as a support. However, none of the current theoretical studies have taken the real motion of the Sun into account. Furthermore, a complete set of theoretical optimal tilt angles for solar energy is necessary for worldwide locations. Therefore, from the view of astronomical mechanics, considering the true orbit of the Sun, a mathematical model that is universal across the globe is proposed: the Kepler motion model is constructed from the solar orbit and transformed into the local Earth coordinate system. After that, the calculation of the optimal tilt angle solution is given. Finally, several examples are shown to demonstrate the variation of the optimal solar angle with month and latitude. The results show that for daily fixed solar collectors, the altitude angle of the collector should be about 6° above the noon solar altitude angle in summer and 6° lower in winter. For annual fixed collectors, the tilt angle should be slightly higher than the latitude. In summary, this study demonstrates that when a location is specified, this model can be used to calculate the theoretical optimum tilt angle of solar collectors for that position.

Dynamic simulation and exergetic analysis of a solar thermal collector installation

Solar collectors are active solar devices which help reducing the energy consumption in buildings. In this paper, a real installation of solar collectors is analysed under different collector array configurations. Also, both energetic and exergetic analyses have been developed, for both general balance and specific variables. To apply these analyses, a TRNSYS dynamic model has been built and validated with experimental data obtained in the real installation. The values of the representative variables have been examined in different points of the installation, resulting in a description of the installation operation and parameters influencing the exergetic efficiency. Although parallel connections of the collectors are commonly used, in this work, simulations and experiments have been carried out with both parallel and series connections. As a result, no significant differences regarding the array configurations have been found. The values of the exergetic efficiency of the collectors are always very low (within 1% and 4.6%), no matter the configuration nor the irradiance. Its maximum value was reached after about 5 h of operation, for all configurations. The values obtained for the whole installation are in the range of 20–50% for the energetic efficiency, whereas the exergetic efficiency is always lower than 1.5%.

Scaling-up the installation of hybrid solar collectors to reduce CO2 emissions in a Mexican industrial sector from now to 2030

This work aims to study and analyze the technical and avoided CO2e emissions potential of scaling up a novel hybrid solar technology in the Food and Beverage (F&B) industrial sector in Mexico. The prospective analysis is developed establishing different economic and technological scenarios from 2020 to 2030, which are established based on energy demand historical data by location a local trends. A coupled Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning-TRNSYS (LEAP-TRNSYS) model is developed to determine the total hybrid solar collector capacity that need to be installed by 2030, and the CO2e abatement potential in the F&B industry. Valle de Mexico, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Torreon were the identified regions with the greatest potential to deploy the proposed hybrid solar technology considering the F&B industry. The determined technical potential (total collector installation area) of the hybrid solar technology in the F&B sector was 7.25 million m2, 6.24 million m2, and 5.31 million m2 for the positive, stagnation, and negative economic growth scenarios, respectively. The deployment of the proposed hybrid solar technology has an excellent decarbonization potential in the studied sector, achieving by 2030 a CO2e emissions reduction of up to 51.7%, 43.51%, and 34.06% from the levels of 2018 for the negative, stagnation, and positive economic growth, respectively.

Parametric Cost Optimization of Solar Systems with Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage for Buildings

In combination with seasonal thermal energy storage (STES), solar energy offers a vast potential for decarbonizing the residential heat supply. In this work, a parametric optimization is conducted to assess the potential of reducing the costs of water-based STES through the use of alternative thermal insulation materials and the integration of an underground storage outside the building. The investigated configurations include: a hot-water tank, a solar collector installation, and a multifamily building with a solar fraction of 100%. The storage is either integrated inside the building or buried underground in its direct vicinity. A simulation-based analysis shows that if the tank is integrated inside an existing building (as part of a retrofitting action) – where costs are primarily driven by the loss of living space – vacuum-insulation panels can lead to significant savings in living space and a cost advantage compared to the use of conventional glass wool. Nevertheless, storage integration inside an existing building is a more expensive option compared to an external integration due to the high costs associated to the internal building modification and loss of living space. Despite the high excavation costs and increased heat losses, the concept of burying the storage underground is a promising option to allow the integration of large-volume seasonal storage systems in new and existing buildings.

Solar process heat integration in lead mining process

The necessity to increase renewable energy consumption in the industrial, residential, and commercial use is crucial due to increasing use and decreasing reserve of fossil fuels. This paper is focused on the modelling and optimization of solar industrial process heating system using a flat plate collector and evacuated tube collector integrated into lead mining process for 7 different lead miner countries of the world: Australia, Canada, Indonesia, China, Peru, Russia, USA. Comparative analysis among seven miner countries is conducted by considering a few cases based on solar industrial process heating system design. The number of solar collectors installed is then optimized for three different designs of SHIP system in two different locations in Australia. To analyze the reduction potential of environmental burdens, life cycle assessment of lead mining process has been carried out based on the global average dataset. Environmental impact can be greatly reduced in global warming, human toxicity, and fossil fuel scarcity through the solar process heat integration. The evacuated-tube collector based solar process heating system with solar loop heat exchanger would have the highest efficiency and solar fraction over the other types of systems considered. Increasing the number of solar collector installation would result in higher solar fraction and capital cost.

Does the Balance Exist between Cost Efficiency of Different Energy Efficiency Measures? DH Systems Case

The main aim of this study is to evaluate the results achieved by implementation of different support policies in form of subsidies for energy efficiency improvements and transition to renewable energy sources. The article compares the energy efficiency measures in district heating systems with other support program. In order to assess the effectiveness of implementation of different renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency projects, the levelized costs of saved energy for different support programs were determined. Authors compared different co-financed projects related to replacement of fossil fuel energy sources in district heating (mainly to biomass) and the installation of new biomass boilers, heat pumps, solar collectors and other local technologies in municipal buildings. Results show that financial support for energy efficiency measures in industrial enterprises and district heating systems has been most cost-effective, mainly due to the low co-financing rate (30%) and the high potential for energy savings in different production processes. Authors have identified the blind-spots within the funding allocation for different municipalities, which is not always dedicated to achieved energy savings.

Modeling of the Solar Thermal Energy Use in Urban Areas

Most of the generated electricity in Kosovo is produced from fossil fuel, a part of the energy comes from the import, while participation of renewable resources is symbolic, and a bias between the grid extension and the load of power generated sometimes results in shortage of electricity and thus frequent power cuts. The use of renewable energy and particularly the solar thermal energy represents one of the most promising alternative strategies. In Kosovo, the global horizontal radiation ranges from 1241 kWh/m2 per year in Shterpce to 1461 kWh/m2 per year in Gjakova, while the average for Kosovo can be estimated at 1351 kWh/m2 per year. The average sun duration for the city of Pristine is 5.44 h, while the average horizontal irradiation is 3.79 kWh/m² per day. Participation of energy consumption in household is still dominant - about 41.4% of the total consumption in Kosovo, 15% of this energy is used for domestic hot water. This energy demand can be lowered significantly by using improved building construction techniques and utilization of RES-s, especially solar thermal. The first step is to map the city in different areas to locate suitable locations for the installation of solar collectors serving sanitary hot water. The demand for sanitary hot water varies from object to object, this variation depends on whether the building is individual or collective, school institutions or religious buildings, for this reason the classification of buildings was done according to the request for sanitary hot water. After that the demand for sanitary hot water is calculated for several different institutions: Residential houses, Dormitories and Hospitals. For all of the above-mentioned cases the data for: solar fraction, solar contribution, CO2 avoided, collector temperature, financial analysis etc. are gained using the TSOL 2018 software. To evaluate the active energy for a time period, the daily, monthly and annual performance for three systems which are located in University Clinical Center of Pristine, Kosovo have been analyzed. In addition the results of the mathematical model, simulation and measured solar energy contribution for solar station in Infective disease clinic have been compared. In this paper, a proposal for replacing the conventional water heaters with the domestic solar water heaters (DSWH) is made. A case study for 38289 Residential households in Pristine has been selected. The initial cost of the solar water heater for the city is 60113730 €. The system saves 7274910 € annually and reduced C𝑂2 emission by 22973400 kg. The results from the paper show that the DSWH is economically feasible in Pristine and can result in fuel saving and CO2 emission reduction.

New Developments and Progress in Absorption Chillers for Solar Cooling Applications

At present, novel, small-to-large capacity absorption chillers with unique technical features have emerged on the global market, and laboratory and pre-industrial prototypes have also been developed. These chillers have been designed for the efficient use of low-grade heat sources; some are air-cooled, small capacity systems; compact water/LiBr chillers; or solar-gas-fired single/double-effect chillers. Also, some advanced commercial absorption chillers have an extensive temperature glide in the driving heat stream (>30 K) which extracts approximately twice as much heat (~200%) as the single-effect chiller. This large temperature glide means that the chillers are well suited to solar thermal collector installations and district heating networks, and the extra driving heat increases cold production. Moreover, recent advances in R718 turbo compressor technologies have helped to solve the problems water/LiBr absorption chillers have in adapting to extreme operating conditions (e.g., high ambient temperature, >35 °C) by using a compressor-boosted absorption chiller configuration. This review paper presents and discusses the developments and progress in these absorption chiller technologies. In summary, the new absorption chillers may be useful for developing efficient, cost-effective, and robust solar cooling solutions that are needed to mitigate the unsustainable impact of the rising global demand for space cooling.

Energy Saving Potential of Industrial Solar Collectors in Southern Regions of Russia: The Case of Krasnodar Region

Industrial low-temperature processes are a promising sector for the introduction of solar collectors, which can partially, and in some cases, completely, replace traditional heat supply technologies. In Krasnodar Region (Russia), it is shown that the energy-saving potential when introducing industrial solar collectors only at food industry enterprises can make up 16%–17% of the total amount of thermal energy produced in the region annually. The global market of industrial solar collectors is currently developing almost without any government incentives, only due to market mechanisms, which indicates the commercial attractiveness of the technology. According to the predicted estimates, levelized cost of energy produced by industrial solar collectors in the southern regions of Russia may amount to 3.8–6.6 rubles per kWh. Even though the forecast estimates are higher than current tariffs, the economic feasibility of using solar collectors in the industry increases significantly if it is not possible to connect to centralized heating networks, as well as in the case of the seasonal load of industrial facilities. As a measure of state incentives for the development of industrial solar collectors in Russia, we offer state co-financing of demonstration projects of Russian manufacturers. This will increase the level of awareness of the population and businesses about the capabilities of this technology. Also, it will increase the technical competencies and innovative potential of companies involved in the production and installation of solar collectors.

SUPPORTING INVESTMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES IN THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE PROVINCE – A CASE STUDY OF THE BOROUGH OF KĘSOWO

The purpose of the study was to present issues in the field of supporting the production and distribution of energy from renewable sources, especially photovoltaic systems, in Kęsowo Borough. Energy from renewable sources enables energy efficiency and security to increase. In 2018, the Marshal’s Office in Toruń carried out activities supporting the production and distribution of energy from renewable sources as part of the Regional Operational Programme of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province. One of the beneficiaries that obtained information on the demand for RES from the inhabitants of the Province was the rural Kęsowo Borough. Research employed the desk research analysis method. Analysis of subject literature and data from the Borough Office of Kęsowo facilitated establishing facts, verifying data and presenting results. 41 residents of Kęsowo Borough took advantage of the opportunity to support investments in renewable energy, including photovoltaic installations, solar collector installations and air heat pumps. Research has shown that the Borough did not fully utilise the available pool of funds, while the photovoltaic installations with the requested average power of 5.22 kW enjoyed the greatest interest.

Efficiency of functioning solar collectors in selected households

The article presents the results of research on the efficiency of the solar collector system in south-eastern Poland. The basis of the article are the results of actual measurements recorded by the system measuring in 5 years (2014-2018). Three solar collectors with a total gross area of 6.3 m2 are used to heat utility water in a single-family house. The average annual heat production in this system was 1916 kWh. The system’s work was characterized by high seasonal and daily variability, which is related to the Polish climate’s specificity. Using the energy production data, the reduction of pollutant emissions achieved by changing the energy carrier was calculated: from electricity to heat from a renewable source, which is solar radiation. The installation of solar collectors allowed for satisfying part of the energy demand as well as reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the atmosphere.