scholarly journals Heat Generated Using Luminescent Solar Concentrators for Building Energy Applications

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 5574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quinn Daigle ◽  
Paul G. O’Brien
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Diffuse Light ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Solar Concentrators ◽  
Energy Applications ◽  
Luminescent Solar Concentrators ◽  
Renewable Energy Generation

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) are a promising technology for integration and renewable energy generation in buildings because they are inexpensive, lightweight, aesthetically versatile, can concentrate both direct and diffuse light and offer wavelength-selective transparency. LSCs have been extensively investigated for applications involving photovoltaic electricity generation. However, little work has been done to investigate the use of thermal energy generated at the edges of LSCs, despite the potential for harnessing a broad range of solar thermal energy. In this work, Newton’s law of cooling is used to measure the thermal power generated at the edge of LSC modules subjected to solar-simulated radiation. Results show that the dye in single-panel LSC modules can generate 17.9 W/m2 under solar-simulated radiation with an intensity of 23.95 mW/cm2 over the spectral region from 360 to 1000 nm. Assuming a mean daily insolation of 5 kWh/m2, the dye in the single-panel LSC modules can generate ~100 kWh/m2 annually. If the surface area of a building is comparable to its floor space, thermal energy generated from LSCs on the buildings surface could be used to substantially reduce the buildings energy consumption.

Ceramic Technology for Solar Thermal Receivers

1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-79
Author(s):  
A. A. Kudirka ◽  
R. H. Smoak
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ceramic Materials ◽  
Ceramic Technology ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Receiver Design ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Energy Applications ◽  
Temperature Capability ◽  
Solar Applications

Development of ceramic receiver technology for advanced solar thermal energy applications is being pursued in order to achieve significant reductions in energy cost and increase the potential application of solar thermal energy. Basically, structural ceramics are being seriously considered for solar applications because of their high temperature capability, their nonstrategic nature, and their potential for low cost. In this paper, candidate ceramic materials for solar receivers and their characteristics are described, potentially applicable fabrication and processing methods are discussed, and their applicability and promise for solar receivers is assessed. Receiver design requirements as well as system requirements for solar applications are reviewed. Promising areas of application of ceramic receivers in the near future are also discussed. Current ceramic receiver development status and plans are described, including one receiver which has been successfully tested at gas exit temperatures of up to 1425°C.

Drying of Oil Palm Fronds Using Concentrated Solar Thermal Power

2014 ◽  
Vol 699 ◽  
pp. 449-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaharin Anwar Sulaiman ◽  
Farid Fawzy Fathy Taha
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Drying Rate ◽  
Drying Methods ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Oil Palm Fronds ◽  
Electric Oven ◽  
Palm Fronds

Malaysia has great potential for biomass stock. The fact that oil palm fronds contain high moisture content makes it unsuitable to be used directly as a biomass fuel neither for direct combustion nor gasification. Conventional and costly drying methods make the fronds a non-attractive fuel especially in humid tropical countries, where sources of biomass is abundant. A new solar dryer design is proposed that utilizes concentrated solar thermal energy for drying oil palm fronds. A prototype for the dryer has been fabricated and tested. The system’s target is to maximize the thermal energy received by the system and to minimize energy loss out of the system. Experiments were performed on samples of oil palm fronds at a drying temperature not exceeding 110°C; in order not to affect the organic material of the biomass. Results were compared with another experiment performed at the same temperature. An electric oven was used for drying. The samples were completely dried using the proposed system for 6.5 hours, compared to 10.5 hours by using the electric oven. The proposed system achieved an average drying rate of 4.75 g/hr compared to an average drying rate of 2.83 g/hr using the electric oven. The efficiency of the dryer was calculated to be 55.4%, implying good potential of the proposed system.

Mechanism of Upgrading Low-Grade Solar Thermal Energy and Experimental Validation

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Hong ◽  
Hongguang Jin ◽  
Jun Sui ◽  
Jun Ji
Keyword(s):  
Energy Level ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Chemical Energy ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Thermal Power Plants ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Middle Temperature

Solar thermochemical processes inherently included the conversion of solar thermal energy into chemical energy. In this paper, a new mechanism of upgrading the energy level of solar thermal energy at around 200°C was revealed based on the second law thermodynamics and was then experimentally proven. An expression was derived to describe the upgrading of the energy level from low-grade solar thermal energy to high-grade chemical energy. The resulting equation explicitly reveals the interrelations of energy levels between middle-temperature solar thermal energy and methanol fuel, and identifies the interactions of mean solar flux and the reactivity of methanol decomposition. The proposed mechanism was experimentally verified by using the fabricated 5kW prototype of the receiver∕reactor. The agreement between the theoretical and the experimental results proves the validity of the mechanism for upgrading the energy level of low-grade solar thermal energy by integrating clean synthetic fuel. Moreover, the application of this new middle-temperature solar∕methanol hybrid thermochemical process into a combined cycle is expected to have a net solar-to-electric efficiency of about 27.8%, which is competitive with other solar-hybrid thermal power plants using high-temperature solar thermal energy. The results obtained here indicate the possibility of utilizing solar thermal energy at around 200°C for electricity generation with high efficiency by upgrading the energy level of solar thermal energy, and provide an enhancement to solar thermal power plants with the development of this low-grade solar thermochemical technology in the near future.

Numerical Simulation & Experimental Research of Heat Charging Process of Cylindrical Units with PCM of Al-Si Alloy

2010 ◽  
Vol 171-172 ◽  
pp. 223-228
Author(s):  
Guan Sheng Chen ◽  
Ren Yuan Zhang ◽  
Feng Li ◽  
Shi Dong Li ◽  
Li Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Test System ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Experimental Result ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Storage Unit

Phase change thermal storage used metal as phase change material (PCM) is an important mode of solar thermal energy storage. In this paper, the heat charging processes of solar heating units were simulated under three kinds of heating flux 100,150 and 200kW/m2 at the bottom face respectively, while the thickness of heat receiving layer at the bottom was in 5, 10 and 15mm. Al-Si alloy was selected as PCM used in the cylindrical body of the units which were in the size of φ1000×1000mm. The change of temperature and solid-liquid phase change interface of Al-Si alloy were analyzed to find out the suitable absorber thickness of thermal energy storage units which can run safety under the condition of temperature 700~900K and heat flux 100~200kW/m2, such as the application of solar thermal energy storage unit in high temperature solar thermal power stations. In the last a test system was built up and the experimental result was close to the simulation value of a unit in the size of φ300×1000×10mm.

PCM-Based for Heat Storage in Solar-Thermal Converter

2020 ◽  
Vol 307 ◽  
pp. 297-303
Author(s):  
Nadhrah Md Yatim ◽  
Siti Rahmah Md Nizar ◽  
Mohd Azman Hashim@Ismail ◽  
Syahida Suhaimi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Paraffin Wax ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Irradiation ◽  
Thermal Converter ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Graphene Foam ◽  
Change Material

Solar thermal energy is one of the promising renewable and sustainable energy that have gain research interest. However, the nature of intermittent solar irradiation limits the usage of this energy. Phase change material (PCM) are substance that has the property of absorbing and releasing thermal energy through phase transformation. Combination of graphene foam/PCM composite will be able to absorb heat from solar thermal energy and sustain energy release to thermoelectric generator (TEG) for electrical conversion. Two different PCM material were tested which are petroleum-based paraffin wax and bio-based PCM beeswax. Thermal properties of both materials were measured using DSC and heat absorption were tested under real solar irradiation. This solar-thermal converter showed that graphene/paraffin/beeswax composite is more effective than the paraffin wax or beeswax alone. The recorded results also showed that combination of these petroleum based and bio-based PCM with added graphene foam could retain longer heat than graphene/paraffin wax and individual PCM. The longer heat can be stored in solar-thermal converter device may sustain electricity generation even with absence of solar energy.

Sputtered Nanocrystalline Nickel Thin Films for Solar Thermal Energy Applications

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongbai Yin ◽  
Yongqiang Pan ◽  
Sergey Rubanov ◽  
Marcela M. M. Bilek ◽  
David R. McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Thin Films ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Nanocrystalline Nickel ◽  
Nickel Thin Films ◽  
Energy Applications

scholarly journals Selection of low temperature thermal power cycles

2020 ◽  
pp. 165-165
Author(s):  
Mukundjee Pandey ◽  
Biranchi Padhi ◽  
Ipsita Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Organic Rankine Cycle ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Heat Extraction ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Kalina Cycle

In today?s world, we are facing the problem of fossil fuel depletion along with its cost continuously increasing. Also, it is getting difficult to live in a pollution free environment. Solar energy is one of the most abundantly and freely available form of energy. Out of the various ways to harness solar en-ergy, solar thermal energy is the most efficient as compared to photo-voltaic technology. There are various cycles to convert the solar thermal energy to mechanical work, but Kalina cycle (KC) is one of the best candidates for high efficiency considerations. Therefore, the authors have proposed a novel KC having the double separator arrangements to increase the amount of ammonia vapors at the inlet of turbine, and hence have tried to minimize the pumping power for Double Separator Kalina Cycle (DS-KC) by reducing the fraction of gas/vapors through it. Here, in this paper we have tried to com-pare Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC), Brayton Cycle (BC) and Double Sepa-rator Kalina Cycle (DS-KC) for low temperature heat extraction from para-bolic trough collectors having arc-circular plug with slits (PTC). The effect of different operating conditions; like the number of PTCs, mass flow rate of fluids in different cycles, pressure difference in turbine are analyzed. The ef-fect of these different operating conditions on different parameters like net work done, heat lost by condenser, thermal efficiency and installation cost per unit kW for DS-KC, ORC and BC are studied.

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