Modeling and Analysis of the Performance of a Parabolic Trough Solar Concentrator System

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hammad ◽  
A. Al-Qtiemat ◽  
A. Alshqirate
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Boiling Water ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Solar Concentrator ◽  
Parabolic Trough ◽  
Pressurized Water

The increasing fossil fuel costs have led the world to use the clean and naturally available energy from the sun to produce electric power. Parabolic trough technology is nowadays the most extended solar system for electricity production or steam generation for industrial processes. It is the most proven, lowest cost and large-scale solar power technology available today. It is basically composed of a concentrator collector field which converts solar irradiation into thermal energy that will be used as input for a Rankine power cycle. In such plants, a storage system can be implemented in order to increase plant production. This work aimed to conclude with a simulation model of a solar thermal power plant using a parabol solar concentrator. The Euro Trough (ET) Concentrator was used as case study. MATLAB software was used for the analysis and performance evaluation. Different working fluids were used in the simulation which were: Pressurized water, Boiling water and Oil (Therminol-VP1). It was found that using water (pressurized or boiling) in the receiver tube is better than the Therminol-VP1 oil. And the pressurized water has the highest value of efficiency compared to the boiling water and Therminol-VP1 oil. The oil using system presented the highest energy losses system, and the lowest efficiencies. The ET performance was tested at different places in Jordan, and the distribution of direct solar irradiance at different days around the year was calculate and exhibited for Ma’an city as a case study. A comparison between simulated results and that found in literature were carried out with observed good conformity.

scholarly journals Thermal balance of large scale parabolic trough plants: A case study

Solar Energy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 190 ◽  
pp. 69-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.J. Sánchez ◽  
A.J. Gallego ◽  
J.M. Escaño ◽  
E.F. Camacho
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Balance ◽  
Parabolic Trough

scholarly journals Multiple-Regression Method for Fast Estimation of Solar Irradiation and Photovoltaic Energy Potentials over Europe and Africa

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3477 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Bocca ◽  
Luca Bergamasco ◽  
Matteo Fasano ◽  
Lorenzo Bottaccioli ◽  
Eliodoro Chiavazzo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Energy Yield ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Percent Error ◽  
Fast Estimation

In recent years, various online tools and databases have been developed to assess the potential energy output of photovoltaic (PV) installations in different geographical areas. However, these tools generally provide a spatial resolution of a few kilometers and, for a systematic analysis at large scale, they require continuous querying of their online databases. In this article, we present a methodology for fast estimation of the yearly sum of global solar irradiation and PV energy yield over large-scale territories. The proposed method relies on a multiple-regression model including only well-known geodata, such as latitude, altitude above sea level and average ambient temperature. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for a fast, preliminary, offline estimation of solar PV output and to analyze possible investments in new installations. Application of the method to a random set of 80 geographical locations throughout Europe and Africa yields a mean absolute percent error of 4.4% for the estimate of solar irradiation (13.6% maximum percent error) and of 4.3% for the prediction of photovoltaic electricity production (14.8% maximum percent error for free-standing installations; 15.4% for building-integrated ones), which are consistent with the general accuracy provided by the reference tools for this application. Besides photovoltaic potentials, the proposed method could also find application in a wider range of installation assessments, such as in solar thermal energy or desalination plants.

scholarly journals Optimal sizing of a distributed energy system with thermal load electrification

2020 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 01006
Author(s):  
Pietro Lubello ◽  
Guglielmo Vaccaro ◽  
Carlo Carcasci
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Load ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Distributed Energy ◽  
Optimal Sizing ◽  
First Case ◽  
The Impact

Renewable energy systems (RES) are currently being deployed on a large scale to meet the ambitious sustainable development goals for the next decades. A higher penetration of sustainable means of power production passes through the diffusion of RES-based distributed energy systems. The hybridization of such systems and their integration with Energy Storage Systems (ESS) can help improve reliability and level the mismatch between power production and consumption. In this paper, a novel modular tool for the simulation of distributed energy systems is presented by means of its application to a case study. The considered system is composed by PV modules, ESS and heat pumps. The optimal sizing of the components for self-consumption has been obtained through an electricity production cost minimization. A comparison between two different configurations has been conducted: in the first case, the thermal load is completely satisfied by a natural gas-fired boiler, while in the latter case, part of the thermal load is satisfied by a heat pump. The results have highlighted the impact of ESS on the economics of distributed energy systems and how the investment in such systems, in conditions similar to the case study, can be more easily sustained if a share of the total energy consumption of the unit is shifted from the thermal to the electrical part.

scholarly journals A Simplified Method to Avoid Shadows at Parabolic-Trough Solar Collectors Facilities

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Novas ◽  
Aránzazu Fernández-García ◽  
Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Parabolic Trough ◽  
Standard Case ◽  
Global Environmental Problems ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Heating Water ◽  
Tracking Movement

Renewable energy today is no longer just an affordable alternative, but a requirement for mitigating global environmental problems such as climate change. Among renewable energies, the use of solar energy is one of the most widespread. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems, however, is not yet fully widespread despite having demonstrated great efficiency, mainly thanks to parabolic-trough collector (PTC) technology, both on a large scale and on a small scale for heating water in industry. One of the main drawbacks to this energy solution is the large size of the facilities. For this purpose, several models have been developed to avoid shadowing between the PTC lines as much as possible. In this study, the classic shadowing models between the PTC rows are reviewed. One of the major challenges is that they are studied geometrically as a fixed installation, while they are moving facilities, as they have a tracking movement of the sun. In this work, a new model is proposed to avoid shadowing by taking into account the movement of the facilities depending on their latitude. Secondly, the model is tested to an existing facility as a real case study located in southern Spain. The model is applied to the main existing installations in the northern hemisphere, thus showing the usefulness of the model for any PTC installation in the world. The shadow projected by a standard, the PTC (S) has been obtained by means of a polynomial approximation as a function of the latitude (Lat) given by S = 0.001 − Lat2 + 0.0121 − Lat + 10.9 with R2 of 99.8%. Finally, the model has been simplified to obtain in the standard case the shadows in the running time of a PTC facility.

Fuzzy Logic Application and Condition Monitoring of Critical Equipment in a Thermal Power Generation Company

2018 ◽  
pp. 244-289
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Generation Company ◽  
Super Heater ◽  
Thermal Power Generation ◽  
Study Application

The final case study application was at a thermal power generation company. In large-scale industrial applications, the controlling and optimization of the parameters must be done efficiently and effectively so as to attain smooth operation of the plant. In this research, the main control parameters in the boiler were identified as coal flows, temperatures in the combustion zone, air-to-fuel ratio and ash content, that is, the percentage of ash in raw coal, and mineral content. These parameters are monitored to avoid clinker formation in the super heater tubes of the boiler. Condition-based maintenance (CBM) approaches were used to monitor the boiler parameters. Fuzzy logic was applied in the monitoring of these parameters.

scholarly journals An application of decentralized estimation in a fault detection problem

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-387
Author(s):  
Predrag Tadic ◽  
Milos Stankovic ◽  
Srdjan Stankovic ◽  
Zeljko Djurovic
Keyword(s):  
Fault Detection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Estimation Algorithm ◽  
Fault Detection And Isolation ◽  
Decentralized Estimation ◽  
System Decomposition ◽  
Consensus Strategy ◽  
General Aspects

This paper presents a design of a decentralized fault detection and isolation (FDI) filter by means of an overlapping decentralized estimation algorithm based on a consensus strategy. An efficient solution to the FDI problem can be obtained by an adequate system decomposition into overlapping subsystems and the construction of local FDI estimators aimed at achieving the desired performance. The general aspects and properties of a consensus based estimator are described in the first part of the paper. An applicability of such an estimator to an FDI problem in a large scale system is discussed next. Namely, a case study related to the detection of fire dissymmetry in a thermal power plant boiler is presented, including the process description and identification procedure, comparison between the results obtained by local and decentralized estimators and conclusions concerning their validity.

scholarly journals Investigation of a Novel CO2 Transcritical Organic Rankine Cycle Driven by Parabolic Trough Solar Collectors

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Evangelos Bellos ◽  
Christos Tzivanidis
Keyword(s):  
Organic Rankine Cycle ◽  
Rankine Cycle ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Present System ◽  
Secondary Circuit ◽  
Parabolic Trough ◽  
Turbine Inlet

The objective of the present study is the detailed investigation and optimization of a transcritical organic Rankine cycle operating with CO2. The novelty of the present system is that the CO2 is warmed up inside a solar parabolic trough collector and there is not a secondary circuit between the solar collector and the CO2. Therefore, the examined configuration presents increased performance due to the higher operating temperatures of the working fluid in the turbine inlet. The system is studied parametrically and it is optimized by investigating different pressure and temperature level in the turbine inlet. The simulation is performed with a validated mathematical model that has been developed in Engineering Equation Solver software. According to the results, the optimum turbine inlet temperature is ranged from 713 up to 847 K, while the higher pressure in the turbine inlet enhances electricity production. In the default scenario (turbine inlet at 800 K and turbine pressure at 200 bar), the system efficiency is found 24.27% with solar irradiation at 800 W/m2. A dynamic investigation of the system for Athens (Greece) climate proved that the yearly efficiency of the unit is 19.80%, the simple payback period of the investment is 7.88 years, and the yearly CO2 emissions avoidance is 48.7 tones.

Optical Analysis of the Fixed Mirror Solar Concentrator by Forward Ray-Tracing Procedure

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramon Pujol Nadal ◽  
Víctor Martínez Moll
Keyword(s):  
Ray Tracing ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Solar Concentrator ◽  
Optical Efficiency ◽  
3D Ray Tracing ◽  
Positive Effect

The fixed mirror solar concentrator (FMSC) is a mobile focus concentrator whose design emerged in the 1970s in an effort to reduce electricity production costs in solar thermal power plants. This geometry has not yet been analyzed with 3D ray-tracing procedures. The geometry of FMSC is defined using three parameters: the number of mirrors N, the ratio of focal length and reflector width F/W, and the intercept factor γ (in order to represent different receiver widths). For the analysis, a 3D ray-tracing code that allows the characterization of solar concentrators was developed. A standard evacuated tube was used as a receiver. The geometric concentration ratio, the optical efficiency, and the transversal and longitudinal incidence angle modifier (IAM) curves for different values of design parameters were calculated. High concentrations imply low F/W values and for high efficiencies, large intercept factor values are required. Increasing the F/W ratio has a positive effect on the transversal IAM, yet a negative one for the longitudinal IAM. Increasing the number of mirrors has a negative effect on both IAM curves due to the self-shadowing between the adjacent steps. Increasing the intercept factor only has a significant positive effect on the longitudinal IAM. The goodness of the IAM factorization approach was analyzed, and it was found that it can be used as long as a new correction factor to account for the focus displacement is introduced. The results presented in this paper provide information, in form of curves, regarding the optical behavior of the FMSC in terms of different design parameters in order to know the possibility to use the FMSC in medium range temperature applications.

scholarly journals Development and Validation of a Thermo-Economic Model for Design Optimisation and Off-Design Performance Evaluation of a Pure Solar Microturbine

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Iaria ◽  
Homam Nipkey ◽  
Jafar Al Zaili ◽  
Abdulnaser Sayma ◽  
Mohsen Assadi
Keyword(s):  
Performance Evaluation ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Programming Approach ◽  
Cost Of Electricity ◽  
Design Performance ◽  
Wide Range

The aim of this paper is to present a thermo-economic model of a microturbine for solar dish applications, which demonstrates the applicability and accuracy of the model for off-design performance evaluation and techno-economic optimisation purposes. The model is built using an object-oriented programming approach. Each component is represented using a class made of functions that perform a one-dimensional physical design, off-design performance analysis and the component cost evaluation. Compressor, recuperator, receiver and turbine models are presented and validated against experimental data available in literature, and each demonstrated good accuracy for a wide range of operating conditions. A 7-kWe microturbine and solar irradiation data available for Rome between 2004 and 2005 were considered as a case study, and the thermo-economic analysis of the plant was performed to estimate the levelised cost of electricity based on the annual performance of the plant. The overall energy produced by the plant is 10,682 kWh, the capital cost has been estimated to be EUR 27,051 and, consequently, the specific cost of the plant, defined as the ratio between the cost of components and output power in design condition, has been estimated to be around EUR 3980/kWe. Results from the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) analysis demonstrate a levelised cost of electricity of EUR 22.81/kWh considering a plant lifetime of 25 years. The results of the present case study have been compared with the results from IPSEpro 7 where the same component characteristic maps and operational strategy were considered. This comparison was aimed to verify the component matching procedure adopted for the present model. A plant sizing optimisation was then performed to determine the plant size which minimises the levelised cost of electricity. The design space of the optimisation variable is limited to the values 0.07–0.16 kg/s. Results of the optimisation demonstrate a minimum LCOE of 21.5 [EUR/kWh] for a design point mass flow rate of about 0.11 kg/s. This corresponds to an overall cost of the plant of around EUR 32,600, with a dish diameter of 9.4 m and an annual electricity production of 13,700 [kWh].

scholarly journals Technological solutions applied in biogas plants - a case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 00012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Chludziński ◽  
Michał Duda
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
Capacity Factor ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Electricity Production ◽  
Substrate Supply ◽  
Biogas Plants ◽  
Process Operation

This paper describes three operating biogas plants with a comparable electrical power of 600 kW. The plants are situated in Germany and were constructed between 2007 and 2013. They belong to one owner who has a farm with an area of ca. 1,200 ha, oriented towards plant production. The article presents technological solutions applied in biogas plants; an attempt was also made to determine their effect on the amount of electricity consumed in the process (operation of stirrers, substrate feeders, pumps, control systems, lighting, etc.). Despite similar electrical power, the biogas plants differ in terms of construction and technological solutions. The differences stem mainly from the number and capacity of digestion chambers, the method of biomass stirring and the method of substrate supply. The preliminary conclusions from observations of these facilities confirm the literature data concerning the consumption of electricity in the process compared to total electricity production. The paper also presents the capacity factor for each facility and the level of heat use from cogeneration.

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