Heat extraction methods from salinity-gradient solar ponds and introduction of a novel system of heat extraction for improved efficiency

The El Paso salinity gradient solar pond, initiated in 1983, has been in operation since 1985. Through 16 years of research and operation, the El Paso Solar Pond has successfully demonstrated applications including desalination, waste brine management, industrial process heat production, and electricity generation; and has developed and implemented key technical advancements to improve the technical viability and economic feasibility of salinity gradient solar ponds, including: 1) an automated instrumentation monitoring system, 2) a stability analysis strategy and high temperature (60–90°C) gradient maintenance methods, 3) a scanning injection technique for improved salinity gradient construction and maintenance, 4) new liner technology, and 5) an improved heat extraction system.

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Thermodynamic feasibility evaluation of an innovative salinity gradient solar ponds-based ORC using a zeotropic mixture as working fluid and LNG cold energy

Applied Thermal Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.116488 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 186 ◽

pp. 116488

Author(s):

A.H. Mosaffa ◽

L. Garousi Farshi

Keyword(s):

Salinity Gradient ◽

Working Fluid ◽

Solar Ponds ◽

Feasibility Evaluation ◽

Cold Energy ◽

Zeotropic Mixture ◽

Thermodynamic Feasibility

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Assessing the Maximum Stability of the Nonconvective Zone in a Salinity-Gradient Solar Pond

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4036773 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 139 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. A. Abdullah ◽

K. A. Lindsay

Keyword(s):

Salinity Gradient ◽

Fluid Velocity ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Convective Zone ◽

Heat Extraction ◽

Solar Pond ◽

Maximum Stability ◽

Storage Zone ◽

The Stability

The quality of the stability of the nonconvective zone of a salinity-gradient solar pond (SGSP) is investigated for an operating protocol in which the flushing procedure exactly compensates for evaporation losses from the solar pond and its associated evaporation pond. The mathematical model of the pond uses simplified, but accurate, constitutive expressions for the physical properties of aqueous sodium chloride. Also, realistic boundary conditions are used for the behaviors of the upper and lower convective zones (LCZs). The performance of a salinity-gradient solar pond is investigated in the context of the weather conditions at Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for several thickness of upper convective zone (UCZ) and operating temperature of the storage zone. Spectral collocation based on Chebyshev polynomials is used to assess the quality of the stability of the pond throughout the year in terms of the time scale for the restoration of disturbances in temperature, salinity, and fluid velocity underlying the critical eigenstate. The critical eigenvalue is found to be real and negative at all times of year indicating that the steady-state configuration of the pond is always stable, and suggesting that stationary instability would be the anticipated mechanism of instability. Annual profiles of surface temperature, salinity, and heat extraction are constructed for various combinations for the thickness of the upper convective zone and storage zone temperature.

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Numerical investigation of the nanofluid effects on the heat extraction process of solar ponds in the transient step

Solar Energy ◽

10.1016/j.solener.2017.09.011 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 157 ◽

pp. 869-879 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Mohamad Aramesh ◽

Fathollah Pourfayaz ◽

Alibakhsh Kasaeian

Keyword(s):

Numerical Investigation ◽

Extraction Process ◽

Heat Extraction ◽

Solar Ponds

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The development of thermosiphon heat exchanger for solar ponds heat extraction

10.1063/1.4965111 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Y. Yaakob ◽

A. Z. Ul-Saufie ◽

F. Idrus ◽

D. Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Heat Exchanger ◽

Heat Extraction ◽

Solar Ponds

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Thermal Heat Storage Gain of Salinity Gradient Solar Pond Using Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.1113.800 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 1113 ◽

pp. 800-805 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Baljit Singh ◽

Muhammad Fairuz Remeli ◽

Alex Pedemont ◽

Amandeep Oberoi ◽

Abhijit Date ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Heat Storage ◽

Salinity Gradient ◽

Heat Energy ◽

Working Fluid ◽

The Sun ◽

Solar Ponds ◽

Solar Pond ◽

Evacuated Tube Collectors ◽

Evacuated Tube

This paper investigates the capability of running a system which uses hot fluid from solar evacuated tube collectors to boost the temperature and overall heat storage of the solar pond. The system is circulated by a solar powered pump, producing heat energy entirely from the incoming solar radiation from the sun. Solar evacuated tube collectors use a renewable source of power directly from the sun to heat the working fluid to very high temperatures. Solar ponds are emerging on the renewable energy scene with the capacity to provide a simple and inexpensive thermal storage for the production of heat on a large scale. The results of the performance of the system show a significant heat energy increase into the solar ponds lower convective region, increasing the overall performance of the solar pond.

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