Solar Collector Technology Research Articles

Thermal Analysis of Parabolic and Fresnel Linear Solar Collectors Using Compressed Gases as Heat Transfer Fluid in CSP Plants

This study introduces the use of compressed air as a heat transfer fluid in small-scale, concentrated linear solar collector technology, evaluating its possible advantages over traditional fluids. This work assumes the adoption of readily available components for both linear parabolic trough and Fresnel collectors and the coupling of the solar field with Brayton cycles for power generation. The aim is to provide a theoretical analysis of the applicability of this novel solar plant configuration for small-scale electricity generation. Firstly, a lumped thermal model was developed in a MatLab® (v. 2023a) environment to assess the thermal performance of a PT collector with an evacuated receiver tube. This model was then modified to describe the performance of a Fresnel collector. The resulting optical–thermal model was validated through literature data and appears to provide realistic estimates of temperature distribution along the entire collector length, including both the receiver tube surface and the Fresnel collector’s secondary concentrator. The analysis shows a high thermal efficiency for both Fresnel and parabolic collectors, with average values above 0.9 (in different wind conditions). Th5s study also shows that the glass covering of the Fresnel evacuated receiver, under the conditions considered (solar field outlet temperature: 550 °C), reaches significant temperatures (above 300 °C). Furthermore, due to the presence of the secondary reflector, the temperature difference between the upper and the lower part of the glass envelope can be very high, well above 100 °C in the final part of the collector string. Differently, in the case of PTs, this temperature difference is quite limited (below 30 °C).

Comparative analysis of solar-powered heat pump systems for decarbonization of process heating and cooling applications: Case of milk pasteurization

The dairy processing industry is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for heating applications at different temperature levels and contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Besides, process cooling, product refrigeration, and storage are mainly reliant on vapour compression refrigeration technologies. This study investigates the performance of solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (ST) powered heat pumping technologies for simultaneous heating (at 75 °C) and cooling (at 2 °C) applications in a selected typical thermal process in a dairy processing plant (milk pasteurization). An ammonia/water absorption heat pump (AHP) and a two-stage R717 vapour compression heat pump with an open intercooler (VCHP) are used in the present study. The VCHP and AHP are powered by market-available solar PV modules and ST collector technologies. The electrical COP and exergy COP of the VCHP were about 4.710 and 0.535, respectively. The AHP operates at a thermal COP and exergy COP of 0.979 and 0.301 when the driving hot water and absorber cooling water inlet temperatures are 160 °C and 30 °C. The grid-connected PV-VCHP system and ST-AHP with natural gas-fired auxiliary heater operate at an annual solar fraction of 0.533 and 0.572, respectively, for a typical weather condition in Barcelona (Spain).

Experimental investigations for enhancing the performance of hemispherical cavity receivers using additively manufactured heat exchangers

ABSTRACT This research explores a pioneering approach in cavity-type solar parabolic dish collector technology (SPDCT) by introducing a novel, additive-manufactured thermally conductive polymer composite heat exchanger over a modified hemispherical cavity receiver for heat recovery applications. This manuscript investigates the performance of innovative configuration of SPDC for Wardha (442001), Maharashtra State (027), INDIA, 20.75° N, 78.65° E, modifying the traditional setup by employing copper coil with different arrangements. The unique aspect of this research lies in the implementation of a hemispherical cavity receiver with preheating water arrangement by installing a thermally conductive polymer composite (TCPC) heat exchanger developed with compositions TPU/MWCNT/GNP of 93/3.5/3.5 by wt.% using an additive manufacturing technique, a strategy not previously explored in the existing literature. A computational study (steady state thermal analysis) conducted using ANSYS Student Version R2023 revealed substantial heat availability over the receiver’s top exterior, forming the basis for the experimental tests. Under different test conditions, the highest thermal efficiency improvement reached to 10.91%. This paper contributes novel ideas to the field, emphasizing the potential of additive-manufactured thermally conductive polymer heat exchangers to increase the performance of solar parabolic dish collector systems.

Parabolic trough solar collector technology using TiO2 nanofluids with dimpled tubes

Nanoparticle concentrations have recently attracted attention as a means to increase the effectiveness of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSC). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study has recently gained popularity for evaluating the performance of PTSC with Dimpled Tubes using a nanofluid made of TiO2 nanoparticles distributed in deionized water (DI-H2O). The effect of using Dimpled Tubes with varied turbulent flow rates, from 0.5 kg/minto 2.5 kg/min, is studied via a battery of tests and computational fluid dynamics simulations. TiO2nanofluid performance is compared to water, the “base fluid,” in this study.This study investigates the utilization of TiO2 nanofluids in enhancing the heat transfer performance of parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) technology, particularly when integrated with dimpled tubes.The importance of this research lies in the quest for improving the efficiency of solar thermal systems, which is crucial for sustainable energy production.Variables such as solar collector efficiency, Reynolds number, and Nusselt number are tracked as the inquiry progresses. When TiO2 nanofluids are added to the base fluid within the dimpled tube, the convective heat transfer coefficient increases by an astonishing 34.25 percent.This improvement is most pronounced at a mass flow rate of 2.5 kg/min and a volume concentration of TiO2 nanofluid of 0.3 %. Parabolic trough solar collectors have recently been the focus of attempts to improve efficiency via nanoparticle concentrations. The paper uses Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis to investigate how well Dimpled Tubes work with TiO2/DI-H2O nanofluid. The significant increase in the convective heat transfer coefficient was clarified by experimental and CFD calculations that considered fluctuations in turbulent flow rates. The improvement is particularly striking at a mass flow rate and a volume concentration of TiO2 nanofluid.Findingsindicate a significant improvement in heat transfer rates when TiO2 nanofluids are used, particularly in conjunction with dimpled tubes. The combined effect leads to a notable thermal efficiency enhancement, representing the potential of nanofluid-based improvements in optimizing PTSC performance.

Amplifying thermal performance of solar flat plate collector by Al2O3/ Cu/MWCNT/SiO2 mono and hybrid nanofluid

Flat plate collectors (FPCs) have garnered widespread usage in applications such as water heating, space heating, and various thermal systems, presenting an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to harnessing solar energy. However, the thermal performance of FPCs has been adversely affected by the improper selection of Heat Transfer Fluids (HTFs). The purpose of the work is to explore and demonstrate the potential advancements in solar flat plate collector (FPC) technology through the use of nanofluids to Enhance Energy Conversion, Explore Synergistic Effects, Contribute to Sustainable Energy Solutions and Address Technological Challenges. That is to optimize the thermal performance of FPCs by incorporating standalone and hybrid nanoparticles into the base fluid to augment their thermal properties. This approach explores new possibilities for synergistic effects and enhanced thermal properties, offering a novel contribution to the field of nanofluid research. The standalone and hybrid nanofluids encompass nanoparticles such as Al2O3, Cu, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), and SiO2 at a concentration of 0.5 wt%. In the preparation of hybrid nanofluids, equal volume fractions (25 % each) of Al2O3, Cu, MWCNT, and SiO2 nanoparticles were employed. The investigation includes the evaluation of thermal performance parameters, namely heat gain, heat loss coefficients, and thermal efficiency of FPCs, comparing these values with those of water. Hybrid nanofluids exhibit significantly improved thermal performance compared to both plain water and monodisperse nanofluids. Employing hybrid nanofluids yields results that indicate a peak outlet temperature of approximately 83.2 °C, a higher heat gains of 2385 W, a reduced heat loss coefficient of 25.5 W/m2K, and a peak thermal efficiency of 70.4 %. The use of hybrid nanofluids, as opposed to monodisperse nanofluids, offers superior thermal performance for flat plate collector-based solar heating systems.

Transient analysis of an efficient solar assisted air-conditioning system for subtropical climate with various solar thermal collectors

The air conditioning demand of the world is largely fulfilled by vapor compression systems; however, these systems are also responsible for depleting ozone layer due to the nature of refrigerants. Desiccant cooling systems integrated with solar thermal energy technologies could be an attractive alternative with some performance enhancement techniques. In this study, transient seasonal performance investigation is performed for an innovative solar integrated desiccant cooling system that uses regenerative evaporative cooler known as solar assisted desiccant integrated Maisotsenko cycle cooler for better cooling performance. Furthermore, transient annual performance analysis of solar system for meeting thermal energy requirement for regenerating the desiccant wheel in summer season and handling heating load of the building in winter season is also carried out with three different solar thermal collector technologies for finding out more efficient technology. The key performance indicators in this study are useful energy gain, solar source efficiency, auxiliary energy sharing, coefficient of performance, and solar fraction. The results of the key performance parameters are reported as monthly average values. The proposed integrated system resulted to be very efficient with a maximum COP value of 1.13 in April when latent cooling loads are low and 0.78 in August when latent cooling loads are higher. The system’s maximum cooling capacity is 24 kW in April corresponding to a sensible heat factor of 0.720. Furthermore, the regeneration temperature requirements ranged from 50 °C to 78 °C, respectively that makes it favorable to use low grade thermal energy through non concentrating solar thermal collectors. The regeneration thermal energy requirement for desiccant wheel fluctuates throughout the year, maximizing in August due to higher dehumidification requirements. The study also revealed that the evacuated tube collector technology is most suitable with average annual efficiency of around 36 %.

Coupled system for underground heating exchange and solar heat-humidity regulation in greenhouse: Experimental study and simulation analysis

In winter, greenhouses located in mid to high latitudes are required a function of dehumidification and warming due to the low outdoor temperature. Focusing on small spires greenhouses, this study regulates the low temperature and high humidity environment inside the greenhouse and proposes a new-type of greenhouse heat and humidity regulation system by combining composite solid desiccant dehumidification with ground heat exchange system. The greenhouse internal environment is warmed and dehumidified at night by utilizing the adsorption effect of the compound dehumidifier and the sensible heat exchange between the heat exchange system in the ground and the greenhouse. Solar thermal energy is collected during the day using multi-curved tank collector (MTC) for thermal storage in the geothermal system and desiccant desorption. The rationality of pipeline layout is verified through CFD simulation, and the indoor temperature and humidity distribution during the system operation is explored. The experimental results show that the moisture adsorption capacity of the composite desiccant SG-CaCl2 for 10h is 0.511 g/g. The optimal regeneration temperature is 80–100 °C. This system can reduce the nighttime relative humidity of the greenhouse in winter from 96.5 % to 83.6 %, and the average indoor air temperature after warming is 12.8 °C. The heat exchange efficiency of the underground heating exchange system is 0.38. During the desorption phase on daytime, the maximum outlet temperature of MTC is 103.8 °C, and the average heat collection efficiency is 0.42. The system can effectively regulate the air environment in the greenhouse to the appropriate zone for crop growth by combining solar thermal collector technology with recyclable solid dehumidification technology.

A Review of the Modeling of Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors Coupled to Solar Receivers with Photovoltaic/Thermal Generation

This paper is a summary of the last ten years of work on the study of parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) and compound parabolic collectors (CPCs) coupled to photovoltaic and thermal solar receiver collectors (SCR-PVTs). While reviewing the state of the art, numerous review papers were found that focused on conventional solar receiver collector (SRC) technology for solar thermal generation. However, there is a lack of review papers summarizing SRC-PVT hybrid technology for solar electric/thermal generation, which would be beneficial for researchers interested in this area of research. This paper provides a review of SRC-PVT hybrid technologies. The theoretical foundations for analyzing and modeling PTC and CPC concentrators coupled to SRC-PVT are described, with an emphasis on modeling through thermal resistances and energy balances. Additionally, this section provides a concise overview of previous studies that have addressed the modeling of PTC and CPC collectors coupled to SCR-PVT, as well as experimental information useful for the validation of new mathematical models of SRC-PVT.

Simulation of thermal storage system integrated with U-shaped evacuated tube solar unit involving nanoparticle enhanced paraffin

This paper presents a novel approach to boost the productivity of U-pipe solar evacuated-tube system. The integration of a paraffin-nanoparticle mixture enhances the system's heat storage capacity significantly. Additionally, the incorporation of fins expedites the critical melting process. The study utilizes advanced numerical simulations conducted through the finite volume method. This integrated approach represents a notable progression in solar collector technology, offering potential for increased energy efficiency. To expedite the melting process, four fin configurations were taken into account. Six cases, integrating both loading nanoparticles and fin installation, were analyzed numerically using an implicit technique to demonstrate their impact. The required boundary conditions were determined through reference to previous experimental work. The numerical approach was validated using methods outlined in prior publications, resulting in satisfactory agreement. In the absence of fins, the dispersion of nano-powders leads to a 4.5 % increase in the liquid fraction (LF) after approximately 100 s, and a 2.9 % increase after about 400 s. On the other hand, when the optimal configuration of fins is incorporated, the LF experiences significant enhancements of approximately 138.71 % and 54.91 % at time intervals of 100 and 400 s, respectively. At 400 s, the introduction of ZnO nanoparticles and the incorporation of fins lead to temperature increases in the paraffin by approximately 0.5 % and 12.09 %, respectively. Meanwhile, at 250 s, the thermal performance, indicated by the LF value, exhibits a twofold improvement in the finned case compared to the finless case without nanoparticles.

Enhancing the efficiency of solar parabolic trough collector systems via cascaded multiple concentration ratios

Solar parabolic trough collector (PTC) technology is clean and economical. However, PTC technology suffers from relatively low optical and thermal efficiencies at high operating temperatures and concentration ratios (CRs). In this work, a novel strategy for cascadingly using solar collectors with multiple concentration ratios in one collector loop is proposed to reduce optical losses and improve the overall performance of the PTC system. Two systems were studied for implementation of the proposed strategy: an ideal system employing multiple optimal CRs in distinct collector loop sections and a multisection system employing multiple practical CRs. An integrated optical model and two-dimensional heat transfer model based on finite volume and radiation heat transfer methods were developed in this study. These models proved to be highly accurate in estimating the thermal properties of solar collectors. At operating temperatures between 293 and 393 °C, the optical efficiency of the multisection system was 6.7% higher than that of a conventional system with a single CR. Under the same conditions, the thermal efficiency was improved by 4.5%. This work is anticipated to provide a reference for solar collector design and a new avenue for enhancing the overall efficiencies of PTC systems.

A State-of-the-Art Review of Hydronic Asphalt Solar Collector Technology for Solar Energy Harvesting on Road Pavement

Nature inspires innovative renewable energy solutions by advancing our road pavements, as the sun is the only infinite and accessible source of clean and green energy on our planet. In addition to the various solar energy production methods, a new paradigm for utilizing asphalt pavement as a solar collector is being developed for self-powered energy harvesting. Due to direct solar radiation, flexible paved surfaces exposed to direct sunlight can heat up to 70°C in the summer. The heat is then dissipated into the environment, causing the urban heat island effect, and accelerating thermal oxidation of asphalt pavement. This can lead to structural failure and reduced pavement performance. This study aims to present a state-of-the-art review of hydronic asphalt solar collectors (HASCs) and propose the best model to enhance the performance of asphalt solar collectors. The findings of the study concluded that asphalt has the potential to absorb solar energy and store heat energy. This can be achieved by assembling and modifying conventional asphalt structures into modern asphalt solar collector designs that consist of pipe arrangements below the paved surface filled with liquid flowing through the pavement surface. The study found that a significant limitation of previous research was that it focused on optimizing the temperature profile at various depths but did not focus on structural improvements to reduce failure and increase the performance of asphalt solar collectors. Therefore, this review study proposed a new technique of using conductive and waste materials to enhance the performance of asphalt solar collectors.

Techno-economic analysis of hybrid solar thermal systems with flat plate and parabolic trough collectors in industrial applications

Hybrid configurations that combine two different solar thermal collector technologies are considered to improve the economic competitiveness of solar systems in district heating applications. However, the performance of these systems in the industrial sector has been scarcely studied. This study evaluates the energetic and economic potential of hybrid systems with flat plate and parabolic trough collectors under different industrial process temperatures and radiation levels. To enable this evaluation, a hybrid field sizing methodology was developed. The results showed that the hybrid system could achieve high solar fractions with a lower levelized cost of heat than parabolic trough collector individual systems and smaller solar field areas than flat plate collector individual systems. Furthermore, the hybrid system with approximately 50% flat plate collectors reached monthly solar fractions up to 91% higher than the individual flat plate collector alternative. The seasonal performance demonstrates that the hybrid configuration could have great potential for applications with higher demand in the summer months, such as solar cooling with absorption chillers and solar water desalination for crop irrigation. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential of hybrid systems in the industrial sector and presents tools and insights for future research of hybrid solar thermal configurations.

Modeling and performance analysis of solar parabolic trough collectors for hybrid process heat application in Kenya’s tea industry using system advisor model

Among the Concentrated Solar Collector (CSC) technologies, Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) is the most mature and commercialized CSC technology today. Currently, solar PTC technology is mainly used for electricity generation despite its huge potential for heating, especially in industrial process heat (IPH) applications. Though the technology is well-developed and successfully used in many developed countries, there is barely any development in Kenya. This paper studies the techno-economic feasibility of a solar PTC-assisted tea drying process in one tea factory that currently relies on biomass for process heat, in the tea producing area of Kericho, Kenya. The plant integrating parabolic troughs is modelled and a yearly simulation performed using System Advisor Model (SAM) software. The weather data are derived from ground measurements at Kericho meteorological weather station. SAM is used to model the impact of the principal design parameters, i.e., solar multiple (SM), thermal energy storage (TES) and hybridization percentages, on solar–biomass plant configurations, and to reveal the optimum case. The studied impacts are linked to the annual energy production and the optimal size which minimizes the levelized cost of heat (LCOH). Analysis of monthly variations of energy production by the solar PTC reveals that even when the solar system is designed to its maximum capacity (SM of 3 and TES of 24 h), some months will still require hybridisation with biomass to fully meet the energy demand. TES must also be incorporated in the solar PTC design to maximise on energy production. The hybrid solar–biomass plant with TES provides optimal performance when SM is 1.8 and TES is 24 h. This results in LCOH of 1.85 US cents/kWh, which is 25% cheaper than using biomass only as is the current practice. Furthermore, integration of solar PTC has a positive impact on carbon footprint and considerably reduces annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 9817 tons of CO2-eq, and annual fuel wood consumption by 16,462 m3 (equivalent to 23.51 acres of mature grown trees).

Combination of solar with organic Rankine cycle as a potential solution for clean energy production

The increasing requirement for energy, severe environmental problems, and the paucity of traditional sources of energy were among the most pressing global challenges which needed addressing immediately. Hence, the utilization of solar energy was such a vital tool for confronting critical issues including global warming, the depletion of fossil fuels as well as rising energy consumption owing to new lifestyle tendencies. More importantly, the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) was demonstrated to be a dependable technology capable of efficiently transforming low-to-medium-level heat sources into usable uses. Because of the great compatibility between the solar thermal-based collector technologies' working temperatures and the cycle’s required temperatures, using solar irradiation to drive an ORC was a viable technique based on renewable energy. The key significance of this review lies in summarizing the utilization of solar-driven ORC and its potential for the applications like water desalination, water pumping, and power generation. The key features like working fluid consideration and component selection are highlighted. Also, the challenges in the sector and the scope for further studies are discussed in detail. The final remarks show that solar ORC can be considered a promising avenue for the development of sustainable energy systems in a broader view.

Experimental analysis and dynamic simulation of a solar-assisted industrial process using parabolic trough solar collectors under outdoor conditions

Solar heat for industrial processes has gathered much attention and technological vision over time due to energy savings and environmental concerns even though there are various restrictions and complications in integrating solar collector technologies with industry. This study aims to cut thermal energy consumption and anthropogenic gas emissions in bulgur industry by proposing a novel experimental design for a solar-assisted process heat (SAPH) system. An experimental method has been addressed for the food treatment process integrated with parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs) and the proposed dynamic model of the system has been simulated for predicting the annual performance. The performance parameters of the individual system components have been analyzed during the days of the experiments conducted. Operational experience gained from the application reveals that the overall system efficiency depends keenly on the collector efficiency of the PTSCs used, load characteristics, and operating conditions. Furthermore, selecting an appropriate size for all heat-exchange devices is a critical parameter to improve the overall efficiency significantly and avert long-term temperature fluctuations. The long-term simulation results reveal that the annual efficiency can be obtained as 20.8 % for the SAPH system and further improved with system optimization.

Integration of a heating and cooling system driven by solar thermal energy and biomass for a greenhouse in Mediterranean climates

World population growth, climate change, and water scarcity will increase food vulnerability, especially in developed countries. Therefore, increasing crop productivity is one of the main challenges to be addressed in the next years. In this sense, intensive horticulture will play a key role to supply the growing demand for food. In greenhouse farming in Mediterranean climates the passive control of the greenhouse ambient conditions is insufficient and, therefore, the use of active heating/cooling systems is required.The status of solar thermal, biomass, and absorption heat pump technologies makes the active management of greenhouse climate conditions technically feasible. At the same time, the utilization of solar thermal and biomass energies allows reducing, as much as possible, the consumption of natural resources and the generation of waste.In this study, we present a system based on solar thermal energy, biomass, and an air-cooled absorption chiller that are integrated to control the temperature of a greenhouse for tomato production in Mediterranean climates. The greenhouse thermal demand is firstly modelled with the TRNBuild tool and validated with real data obtained from a monitored greenhouse in southern Spain. The validated model is used to both study the system operation and determines the annual heating and cooling demands of a greenhouse with tomato crop (26.31 kW·h·m−2, and 61.97 kW·h·m−2, respectively), the energy performance of the system (solar fraction 54.92 %, and absorption chiller seasonal COP 0.624), and the annual biomass operational cost (2.70 €·m−2). This study also provides the specification of the main components (absorption chiller capacity, solar collector technology, absorbance area, biomass boiler thermal capacity, and water tank volume…) that can achieve these results. Moreover, the control for different typical days is shown.

Techno-economic analysis of a hybrid district heating with borehole thermal storage for various solar collectors and climate zones in Pakistan

Fossil fuels are being used to accommodate domestic heating needs all over the world, and the alarming rise in carbon footprint is demanding the world to shift towards renewable energy technologies. A key strategy to lessen household fossil fuel consumption is a solar hybrid district heating network integrated with seasonal thermal energy storage (TES). The objective of this study was to analyze and compare the thermo-economic performance of solar hybrid district heating systems integrated with borehole TES systems in ' 'Pakistan's five climate zones and identify the best suitable solar thermal collector technology. Based on the solar energy incident on different types of thermal collectors, a validated TRNSYS model was used to investigate the dynamic performance indices i.e., solar fraction, system efficiency, and thermal storage efficiency. The heat demand model and weather-related data were changed as input to the system. Based on mentioned performance indices, out of 5 different cities having different climates, climate Zone-C(Quetta), having a continental semi-arid climate, is selected as the most suitable, and Zone-E(Karachi) has tropical desert climate as the least favorable among five different zones with a seasonal storage efficiency of 61% and 19% respectively. The solar fraction is about 91%, also up to the mark as the proposed system utilizes both solar energy and auxiliary systems. Further, the implementation of different thermal collector technologies Parabolic Trough Collector, Evacuated Tube Collector & Flat Plate Collector, revealed that the thermal efficiency of ETC is best among all, with the highest value of 65%, followed by PTC at 44%, and FPC shows the least efficiency of 36%. The economic analysis shows that the model embedded with ETC has a minimum payback period of 6.90 years, followed by an FPC of 7.22 years and a maximum for PTC of 7.38 years. The analysis presented in the current study provides guidelines for researchers and policymakers to identify acceptable location-based best solar thermal collector technologies coupled with seasonal thermal storage for district space heating.

A Case Study on Renewable Energy Sources, Power Demand, and Policies in the States of South India—Development of a Thermoelectric Model

This work aims to perform a holistic review regarding renewable energy mix, power production approaches, demand scenarios, power policies, and investments with respect to clean energy production in the southern states of India. Further, a thermoelectric-generator model is proposed to meet rural demands using a proposed solar dish collector technology. The proposed model is based on the idea of employing a parabolic concentrator and a thermoelectric (TE) module to generate electricity directly from the sun’s energy. A parabolic dish collector with an aperture of 1.11 m is used to collect sunlight and concentrate it onto a receiver plate with an area of 1.56 m in the proposed TE solar concentrator. The concentrated solar thermal energy is converted directly into electrical energy by using a bismuth telluride (BiTe)-based TE module mounted on the receiver plate. A rectangular fin heatsink, coupled with a fan, is employed to remove heat from the TE module’s cool side, and a tracking device is used to track the sun continuously. The experimental results show considerable agreement with the mathematical model as well as its potential applications. Solar thermal power generation plays a crucial part in bridging the demand–supply gap for electricity, and it can be achieved through rural electrification using the proposed solar dish collector technology, which typically has a 10 to 25 kW capacity per dish and uses a Stirling engine to generate power. Here the experimentation work generates a voltage of 11.6 V, a current of 0.7 A, and a power of 10.5 W that can be used for rural electrification, especially for domestic loads.

Economics of Implementing Solar Thermal Heating Systems in the Textile Industry

This paper analyzes the potential of solar thermal systems for being employed for process heating in cotton-based textile industries. The technological capability of a flat plate collector (FPC) to meet the solar industrial process heating (SIPH) requirement in yarn production is assessed. Moreover, the usability of a parabolic trough collector (PTC) in meeting the technological mandates of SIPH in fabric processing units is critically examined. Further, this paper reports the findings of a study on the potential cost advantage of solar process heating over the conventional process heating practices in cotton-based textile industries. The approach involves the selection of the locations of sample textile industries and the employable solar collector technologies, as well as assessment of financial reward, if any. Eight different cotton-based textile industries located in different geographical domains (in India) are selected. The selected textile industries are situated within the textile hubs existing in different states across India. Analysis of technoeconomic benefit derivable in selected textile industries using FPC for hot water generation and PTC for steam generation is presented. In the case of FPC-based SIPH systems, the maximum value of solar fraction is estimated to be 0.30 and the corresponding estimation for the levelized cost of useful thermal energy (LCUTE) delivered comes out as INR 790/GJ to INR 1020/GJ. On the other hand, in case of parabolic-trough-solar-concentrator-based SIPH systems, LCUTE is estimated in the range of INR 1030/GJ to INR 1610/GJ. From a critical analysis of financial viability in consideration of related factors such as payback time and return on investment in SIPH, it appears that the SIPH systems for hot water generation may be a good choice, whereas SIPH systems for steam generation are seen to have longer payback periods and lower returns on investment, and, therefore, it seems that adequate financial support from central and state governments with additional supports from bilateral or multilateral organizations may enable them to become a sustainable technology option.

Analysis of Solar Power Plants with the Combination Systems of PV Module-Reflective Mirror

Solar energy is a combination of light and heat produced by the sun, where this energy is utilized by humans through solar collector technology consisting of PV modules to be converted into electrical energy. The development of PV module technology is carried out to improve its performance, where one of these technologies uses a reflecting mirror to increase the amount of sun radiation captured by the surface of the PV module. This research method uses performance analysis of the utilization of reflector mirrors added to the PV module system by using two different cases, among others are the use of two and four mirrors along the sides of the PV module. The results showed that the application of four reflective glass can direct the sun's radiation to the surface of the PV module with the amount of radiation intention doubled. This result is a kind of technology that gives us a good result to utilize it in building the solar power plant.