Solar-based System Research Articles

Development and evaluation of a solar-based integrated ammonia synthesis and fuel cell system

In the present study, a new ammonia synthesis and fuel cell system integrated with solar energy is developed. The excess energy from a solar photo-voltaic plant is utilized for ammonia synthesis, which acts as an energy storage medium. Two different locations in Canada are considered for system modelling and simulation. The thermodynamic performance of the developed system is analyzed on a transient basis taking into account the variations in solar intensities across the year. The maximum energetic performance evaluated in terms of energy efficiency is 15.72%. Also, the peak exergetic efficiency of the solar-based system is determined as 16.55%. In addition, the daily discharge time capacity is found to reach 8.9 h at the peak. Furthermore, the ammonia synthesis rate obtains a value of 64.8 mol/s at the peak synthesis rate. The daily capacity of energy discharge entails the maximum value of 8502.4 kWh. The dynamic simulation results of each subsystem are discussed comprehensively presenting the applicability of the developed system for intermittency mitigation.

Simple Design of Solar Based Watering System for Plants: Application in Multi-Story Buildings

In this paper, the design of a solar-based watering system for plants in multi-story buildings is proposed. The main advantage of the design is that when the people are out of station or busy for particular days, the proposed solar-based system will water the plants for a particular time in a day. The proposed design is verified on a real-time hardware setup. The main advantage of the proposed design is that the mathematical approach is very simple and no need for any rocket science.

Photovoltaic thermal technology with compound parabolic concentrator

The hybrid solar system contains a photovoltaic cell (PV) module and a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC). The present study aims to evaluate the potential for the introduction of the PV/T technology in Gujarat, India. The photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) system converts solar radiation into thermal and electrical energies simultaneously. The solar radiation increases the temperature of PV modules, resulting in a drop in electrical efficiency. Through the circulation of water with low temperature, heat can be extracted from the PV modules to improve electrical efficiency. The extracted thermal energy can be used for heating purposes. The individual electrical efficiency of the PV module and thermal efficiency of CPC have been observed to be 13.56% and 53.92%, respectively. The combined efficiency was found to be 79.18%, which is higher than the individual performance of the PV module and CPC. The combined PV/T system is a new era in the solar-based power system.

Analysis of the thermal efficiency of a compound parabolic Integrated Collector Storage solar water heater in Kerman, Iran

This paper presents an experimental study involving the design, manufacturing and testing of a prototype integrated collector storage (ICS) solar water heater (SWH) in combination with a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC). The thermal efficiency of the developed system is evaluated in Kerman (latitude 30.2907° N, longitude 57.0679° E), Iran. The developed system is intended to supply hot water for a family in remote rural areas. A 6-month experimental study was undertaken to investigate the performance of the ICS SWH system. The mean daily efficiency and overnight thermal loss coefficient of each experiment were analyzed to examine the appropriateness of these collectors for regions in Kerman. The results showed that mirror has the highest mean daily efficiency (66.7%), followed by steel sheet (47.6%) and aluminum foil (43.7%). The analysis of hourly and monthly operation diagrams for variations of water temperature for the developed ICS system showed that by increasing the amount of radiation entering the water heater, the thermal efficiency of the system decreases, such that the highest efficiency was in April and the lowest in July. With the distribution of radiation intensity in the months of August and September, the thermal efficiency of the system increased. This regional study illustrates how selecting a proper concentrator can increase the thermal efficiency of this solar-based system. It also shows how the temperature gradient between the ambient air and internal water in the storage tank can influence the performance of such systems, and how a controlled amount of hot water withdrawal can affect the system’s efficiency. Developing the ICSSWH system is an ideal sustainable solution in countries that benefit from a large amount of solar intensity.

On the performance, economic, and environmental assessment of integrating a solar-based heating system with conventional heating equipment; a case study

In this paper, the performance, economic, and environmental aspects of integrating a flat plate solar collectors (FPSC)-based system with conventional heating equipment fueled by natural gas are evaluated for a residential building, located in Urmia city, Iran. The main component of the conventional domestic heating equipment is a hot water boiler, powered by a burner. Generally, the present analysis is divided into two parts. The first part is based on analyzing the system for 12 daylight hours in which solar radiation is available, while the second part evaluates it for 12 night hours. To provide the heating load of the building during daylight hours, the solar-based system is used, and the conventional equipment is utilized at night hours. The real heating load of the building constituted of the total load relevant to hot consumed water and the building thermal loss rate in cold months and the available solar radiation are calculated and employed in the simulations. Also, the monthly average total solar radiation, applied in the simulations, is between 7.63 MJ/m2/day and 25.39 MJ/m2/day throughout a year. The results revealed that the highest heating load for air conditioning purposes in warm and cold days are 37.52 kW and 91.05 kW, respectively. Furthermore, the highest heating load is provided using 63.3 m2 and 443.8 m2 of FPSCs for hot and cold air conditioning, correspondingly. Besides, the maximum payback period of coupling the FPSCs with the conventional equipment is found to be 3.1 years. Also, the employment of FPSCs contributes to reductions in CO2 emission rate with values of 84.67 kg/MWh and 84.71 kg/MWh for cold and warm days, respectively.

Solar-based Satellite Power System: An Overview

Abstract: In this paper, describes about advancement in solar-based power system in satellite. A thrust which provides a back force to satellites that move in upward direction and get satellites help to generate power in space. This power transmits to the earth via wireless power transmission and such type of satellite called space based solar power satellite. In recent time, electrical propulsion system has used mostly in place of chemical propulsion system for satellite. Solar energy collected from the space and converts into DC then transmit power from the space to earth wireless and then send to electric grid system. Solar energy is also used by the thruster elements in DC. Keywords: WPT (wireless power transmission), SBSP, propellant, propulsion Cite this Article Divyanshi Srivastava, S.K. Srivastava. Solar-based Satellite Power System: An Overview. Journal of Thermal Engineering and Applications. 2019; 6(1): 20–23p.

Cost Analysis of Proposed Solar Photovoltaic Systems Performance for Engineering Faculty, University of Port Harcourt

In Nigeria, grid connected solar based system are not common as most connections are stand-alone This work analyze costing of proposed solar photovoltaic systems performance for Faculty of Engineering (FOE), University of Port Harcourt. With unit cost of grid power at ₦48.35/kWh based on MYTO sets for a 10-year tariff path with bi-annual minor reviews for Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), it is expected that FOE spends ₦5,894,541.9 annually on electricity consumption when the supply is fully dependent on PHEDC.it is worthy to note that the generation source is fossil fuel which is harmful to the ecosystem. If however solar photovoltaic source as an alternative means of power generation is used at a unit cost of electricity production from proposed PV plant at the rate of ₦75/kWh, simple payback time is 7 years and 4 months and performance ratio is 81.8%. The proposed PV plant is expected to meet power requirement of FOE efficiently and reliably. Within life span of 25 years, 907.666 tons of carbon that would have wreaked havoc to the environment would have been saved. Various losses were also considered and calculated accordingly. Effect of weather condition on the overall performance was also discussed. The proposed PV plant is viable and will address the lingering energy crisis in the faculty.

Multi-objective design optimization of a solar based system for electricity, cooling, and hydrogen production

In this research paper, a novel solar-based integrated energy system with a thermoelectric generator (TEG) is proposed to provide cooling and hydrogen production. The energy integration is performed by establishing a TEG unit instead of the condenser of the double effect LiBr-H2O absorption cooling system. The proposed system is comprehensively investigated and compared with the conventional cogeneration system from energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic point of view. To enhance the understanding of the effect of major design parameters on system exergy efficiency, net output work, total cost rate and hydrogen production, a comprehensive parametric study is carried out. In addition, using a developed MATLAB code, multi-objective optimization method based on genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the proposed model and determine the optimal design parameters. The results of exergy and exergoeconomic analysis show that PVT has the highest exergy destruction rate and the cooling set has the lowest exergoeconomic factor. Results of the parametric study indicate that the proposed system with TEG has higher exergy efficiency, higher hydrogen production rate, lower total cost rate, and lower pay back period. Multi-objective optimization results show that, at the optimum point, exergy efficiency and total cost rate of the proposed system are 12.01% and 0.1762 $/h, respectively. Examining scatter distribution, further shows that the high-pressure generator temperature and PV module area are the most sensitive parameters and should be kept at their lowest value. Higher performance indicators and lower economic indicants reveal that the proposed integration method is more suitable from the exergy/exergoeconomic standpoints.

Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas

Abstract Coal-fired power operators continue to look for ways to increase the efficiency and extend the working lives of their plants by improving operational flexibility and reducing environmental impact. Two possible options are explored here: combining solar energy with coal-fired power generation, and cofiring natural gas in coal-fired plants. Both techniques show potential. Depending on the individual circumstances, both can increase the flexibility of a power plant whilst reducing its emissions. In some cases, plant costs could also be reduced. Clearly, any solar-based system is limited geographically to locations that receive consistently high levels of solar radiation. Similarly, although many coal-fired plants already burn limited amounts of gas alongside their coal feed, for cofiring at a significant level, a reliable, affordable supply of natural gas is needed. This is not the case everywhere. But for each technology, there are niche and mainstream locations where the criteria can be met. The need for good solar radiation means that the uptake of coal-solar hybrids will be limited. Cofiring natural gas has wider potential: currently, the largest near-term market appears to be for application to existing coal-fired plants in the USA. However, where gas is available and affordable, potential markets also exist in some other countries.

Approaches to enhance the energy performance of a zero-energy building integrated with a commercial-scale hydrogen fueled zero-energy vehicle under Finnish and German conditions

The building and transportation sectors in the EU are progressing towards the zero-energy/emission levels according to the EU 2050 roadmap while the H2 vehicles have recently started to be commercialized. Based on these backgrounds, this paper focuses on the investigation of a hybrid zero-energy system which consists of a zero-energy building and a H2 vehicle integrated H2 system. The focused aspects in this paper are the impact of the ground source heat pump (GSHP), the Finnish and German climate conditions, and the on-site PV and wind turbine capacities and their mix on system performance. The parametric analyses based on these aspects are conducted in the TRNSYS simulation environment. The results show that the use of a GSHP helps realize the net zero-energy balance with less local generation, while improving the overall matching capability with marginal influence on the utilization of the cogenerated heat. Moreover, the Finnish condition has a clear preference on the wind based net zero-energy system, whereas the German condition has a preference on the solar based system. Correspondingly, the optimal mix of PV and wind turbine for the net zero-energy cases occurs when the PV generation percentage reaches 20% and 60% under Finnish and German conditions, respectively.

Integration between electric vehicle charging and PV system to increase self-consumption of an office application

The paper analyzes the introduction of a photovoltaic system satisfying electric, space heating and cooling demand of an office building located in southern Italy. The electric load is due to an electric heat pump, used to satisfy space heating and cooling load, a pure electric demand (personal computers, printers, lighting, etc.) and an electric vehicle charged during working hours. Dynamic simulations to evaluate the energy and environmental performance of the analyzed system considering different photovoltaic peak powers (4.5–9.0kW), electric vehicle distance per day (40–120km) and charging mode is carried out. The solar based system shows primary energy saving and equivalent carbon dioxide emission reduction higher than 40% in comparison to the reference conventional system based on a natural gas fired boiler, an electric chiller and a diesel car. The results highlight that the solar energy system is more competitive when DC charging system is provided.

A Novel Design for Home Automation by Integrating Solar based System with Internet of Things.

In this research we have made a novel design for home automation by integrating solar based system with Internet of Things. The main motive of research is to simulate domestic device with integration of Solar based energy system. Here we have simulated the power consumption of home appliances. Energy source is solar system in this research. Solar operated system works with battery. The power is consumed as the devices are switch on. IOT based online simulator that will keep track of status of all device in remote database server.

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Assessment of Conventional and Solar Assisted Air Conditioning Systems

Energy consumption in the buildings is responsible for 26% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions where cooling typically accounts for over 50% of the total building energy use. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for reducing the cooling systems’ environmental footprint with applications of alternative renewable energy source. Three types of cooling systems, water cooled, air cooled and a hybrid solar-based air-conditioning system, with a total of six scenarios were designed in this work. The scenarios accounted for the types of power supply to the air-conditioning systems with electricity from the grid and with a solar power from highly integrated building photovoltaics (BIPV). Within and between these scenarios, systems’ energy performances were compared based on energy modelling while the harvesting potential of the renewable energy source was further predicted based on building’s detailed geometrical model. The results showed that renewable energy obtained via BIPV scenario could cover building’s annual electricity consumption for cooling and reduce 140 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The hybrid solar air-conditioning system has higher energy efficiency than the air cooled chiller system but lower than the water cooled system.

Development and analysis of an integrated photovoltaic system for hydrogen and methanol production

A solar based integrated system for hydrogen and methanol production is investigated. Energy and exergy analyses of a hydrogen production plant, thermodynamic assessment of a methanol synthesis plant, and exergy analysis of the integrated solar based system for hydrogen and methanol production, are performed. The analysis of hydrogen production is performed for the methanol synthesis procedure. The present analysis shows the effects of temperature and current density of the electrolyser on hydrogen production. The optimum temperature of methanol synthesis is obtained for the final design of the methanol plant. It is shown that increasing the pressure improves the methanol synthesis process. Methanol conversion takes place at 493 K. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the system are reduced by 30% if the electrolyser operates at 300 K. The efficiencies of the system are also highly dependent on the solar intensity. The system efficiencies can be tripled if the intensity of solar radiation is increased to 600 W/m2 instead of 250 W/m2.

Application of solar-cells in the electrokinetic remediation of As-contaminated soil

In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the solar-powered electrokinetic process for the remediation of As-contaminated soil in order to reduce the electrical energy consumption on a pilot scale, and this study also investigated the influence of oxalic acid for the treatment of As bound to amorphous iron-oxide. The soil was collected from a former refinery plant located in Janghang, Chungnam, Republic of Korea. The experiments were designed two different power supply systems: a normal power supply and a solar-powered system, and operated the experiments for five weeks. The normal direct current (DC)-powered system removed 32% of the As, but the solar-powered system removed 27% of the As from the soil over the five weeks of electrokinetic operation. The energy expenditure of the solar-based system was just 50% of that of the DC-powered system. The results show that the solar-powered electrokinetic process can remove slightly smaller amounts of contaminants with much less electrical energy. Based on these results, the solar-based electrokinetic process could be applied in order to remediate As-contaminated soil. However, enhanced As removal should be achieved for actual application.

Solar balloons as mixed solar–wind power systems

Solar balloons, in which solar radiation is used to heat directly the air in a hot-air flying balloon, can be used as a mixed power system that exploits both solar radiation and high-altitude winds. If the balloon is heated at ground level and then released, the upward drift due to solar energy and the lateral drift due to wind can both be used to generate energy. At high altitude, the balloon is completely deflated (except for a small Helium-filled chamber, which prevents the balloon from falling) and pulled to the ground: the aerodynamical drag is now strongly reduced with respect to the ascent. A production cycle is simulated for balloons of different sizes and in different working conditions, assessing the feasibility of such a system, calculating the energy output and the solar/wind proportion of the produced energy. Simulation results show that such a system can produce energy with non-negligible solar-to-electricity efficiency (up to 5%). Moreover, while this is primarily a solar-based system, wind can yield a significant amount of additional energy for wind velocities greater than 15m/s.

Hydrosolar roof for integrated energy dissipation and capture in buildings

An original solar-based system to dissipate and capture heat for building climatization has been designed, built and tested. Starting with a brief description of the system, the theoretical model and the tests performed are presented in this paper. Experimental results in the real system, obtained during summer 1999, showed that an average of 250 W m −2 may be dissipated. The possibility of producing heat energy by increasing the temperature of a water mass flow and the passive effect of the system to reduce the incoming thermal load in the building have also been considered.