Solar Thermal Energy

K. Boudaa#1, N. Drouiche#2
#
Departement of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electronics and Computer Science
University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene
BP 32 El Alia 16111 Bab Ezzouar, Algiers, Algeria
1
Khadidja.boudaa@gmail.com
2
Drouiche.Narymane@gmail.com

Abstract— Thermal energy is one of the clean and renewable
energies, its use continues to increase for all its possibilities, ease
of use and its low cost.
For this, we were interested in the following points: definitions
and classification of solar thermal energy, solar thermal power
systems use concentrated solar energy, types of concentrating
solar thermal power plants, solar tower power, solar dish /
engines, and finally the benefits and disadvantages of energy Solar
Thermal.
I. INTRODUCTION
The sun is the source of life on earth by the light and the
heat that it brings to the earth, this one participates in all forms
of life on the planet and has the origin of several practical
applications carried out by the man, that either as a source of
natural light, means of orientation, time indicator, heating or
even summer tanning .Following all this man has not stopped
looking for optimal methods to better use and enjoy this source
of natural energy.
II. DEFINITION AND CLASS
Solar thermal technologies capture the heat energy from the
sun and use it for heating and/or the production of electricity [1].
This is different from photovoltaic, which directly convert
the sun’s radiation to electricity [2].
There are two main types of solar thermal systems for
energy production – active and passive. Active systems require
moving parts like fans or pumps to circulate heat-carrying
fluids. Passive systems have no mechanical components and
rely on design features only to capture heat (e.g. greenhouses).
The technologies are also grouped by temperature - low,
medium or high [3].
A. Low-temperature (<100°C)
Applications typically use solar thermal energy for hot water
or space heating (Boyle, 2004). Active systems often consist of
a roof-mounted flat plate collector through which liquid
circulates. The collector absorbs heat from the sun and the
liquid carries it to the desired destination, for example a
swimming pool or home heating system. Passive heating
systems involve intelligent building design practices, which cut
back on the need for heating or cooling systems by better
capturing or reflecting solar energy.
B. Medium-temperature (100-250°C)
Applications are not common. An example would be a solar
oven, which uses a specially-shaped reflector to focus the sun’s
rays on a central cooking pot [3] . Similar systems could be used
for industrial processes, but are not widely used.
C. High-temperature (250°C >)
Solar thermal systems use groups of mirrors to concentrate
solar energy onto a central collector [1]. These concentrated
solar power (CSP) systems can reach temperatures high enough
to produce steam, which then turns a turbine, driving a
generator to produce electricity.
III. SOLAR THERMAL POWER SYSTEMS USE
CONCENTRATED SOLAR ENERGY
Solar thermal power generation systems collect and
concentrate sunlight to produce the high temperature heat
needed to generate electricity. All solar thermal power systems
have solar energy collectors with two main components:
reflectors (mirrors) that capture and focus sunlight onto a
receiver. In most types of systems, a heat-transfer fluid is
heated and circulated in the receiver and used to produce
steam. The steam is converted into mechanical energy in a
turbine, which powers a generator to produce electricity. Solar
thermal power systems have tracking systems that keep
sunlight focused onto the receiver throughout the day as the
sun changes position in the sky. [4]
Solar thermal power systems may also have a thermal
energy storage system component that allows the solar
collector system to heat an energy storage system during the
day, and the heat from the storage system is used to produce
electricity in the evening or during cloudy weather. Solar
thermal power plants may also be hybrid systems that use other
fuels (usually natural gas) to supplement energy from the sun
during periods of low solar radiation. [4]
 IV. TYPES OF CONCENTRATING SOLAR THERMAL
POWER PLANTS
There are three main types of concentrating solar thermal
power systems:
A. Linear Concentrating Systems
Linear concentrating systems collect the sun's energy using
long, rectangular, curved (U-shaped) mirrors. The mirrors
focus sunlight onto receivers (tubes) that run the length of the
mirrors. The concentrated sunlight heats a fluid flowing
through the tubes. The fluid is sent to a heat exchanger to boil
water in a conventional steam-turbine generator to produce
electricity. There are two major types of linear concentrator
systems: parabolic trough systems, where receiver tubes are
positioned along the focal line of each parabolic mirror, and
linear Fresnel reflector systems, where one receiver tube is
positioned above several mirrors to allow the mirrors greater
mobility in tracking the sun. [4]
A linear concentrating collector power plant has a large
number, or field, of collectors in parallel rows that are typically
aligned in a north-south orientation to maximize solar energy
collection. This configuration enables the mirrors to track the
sun from east to west during the day and concentrate sunlight
continuously onto the receiver tubes. [4]
Fig.1 Linear concentrating system
B. Parabolic Troughs
A parabolic trough collector has a long parabolic-shaped
reflector that focuses the sun's rays on a receiver pipe
located at the focus of the parabola. The collector tilts with
the sun to keep sunlight focused on the receiver as the sun
moves from east to west during the day.
Because of its parabolic shape, a trough can focus the
sunlight from 30 times to 100 times its normal intensity
(concentration ratio) on the receiver pipe, located along the
focal line of the trough, achieving operating temperatures
higher than 750°F.
Parabolic trough linear concentrating systems are used in
the longest operating solar thermal power facility in the
world, the Solar Energy Generating System (SEGS), which
has nine separate plants and is located in the Mojave Desert
in California. The first plant, SEGS 1, has operated since
1984, and the last SEGS plant that was built, SEGS IX,
began operation in 1990. With a combined electricity
generation capacity of 354 megawatts (MW), the SEGS
facility is one of the largest solar thermal electric power
plants in the world. [4]
In addition to the SEGS, many other parabolic trough
solar power projects operate in the United States and
around the world. The three largest projects in the United
States after SEGS are
 Mojave Solar Project: a 280 MW project in
Barstow, California
 Solana Generating Station: a 280 MW project in
Gila Bend, Arizona
 Genesis Solar Energy Project: a 250 MW project
in Blythe, California
Fig.2 Explanatory diagram of a parabolic trough system.
Fig.3 Parabolic trough.
C. Linear Fresnel Reflectors
Linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) systems are similar to
parabolic trough systems in that mirrors (reflectors)
concentrate sunlight onto a receiver located above the
mirrors. These reflectors use the Fresnel lens effect, which
 allows for a concentrating mirror with a large aperture and
short focal length. These systems are capable of
concentrating the sun's energy to approximately 30 times its
normal intensity. The only operating linear Fresnel reflector
system in the United States is a compact linear Fresnel
reflector (CLFR)—also referred to as a concentrating linear
Fresnel reflector—a type of LFR technology that has
multiple absorbers within the vicinity of the mirrors.
Multiple receivers allow the mirrors to change their
inclination to minimize how much they block adjacent
reflectors' access to sunlight. This positioning improves
system efficiency and reduces material requirements and
costs.
Three solar power tower projects now operate in the United
States:
 Ivanpah Solar Power Facility: a 392 MW project
located in Ivanpah Dry Lake, California
 Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project: a 110 MW
project located in Nevada
 Sierra Sun Tower: a 5 MW two-tower project located
in the Mojave Desert in southern California.

Fig. 6 Explanatory diagram of solar power towers

Fig.4 Explanatory diagram of a linear Fresnel reflector

Fig. 7 Solar power towers.

Fig. 5 Linear Fresnel Reflectors
VI. SOLAR DISH/ENGINES
V. SOLAR POWER TOWERS
Solar dish/engine systems use a mirrored dish similar to a
A solar power tower system uses a large field of flat, sun-
very large satellite dish. To reduce costs, the mirrored dish is
tracking mirrors called heliostats to reflect and concentrate
usually composed of many smaller flat mirrors formed into a
sunlight onto a receiver on the top of a tower. Sunlight can be
dish shape. The dish-shaped surface directs and concentrates
concentrated as much as 1,500 times. Some power towers use
sunlight onto a thermal receiver, which absorbs and collects the
water as the heat-transfer fluid. Advanced designs are
heat and transfers it to an engine generator. The most common
experimenting with molten nitrate salt because of its superior
type of heat engine used in dish/engine systems is the Stirling
heat transfer and energy storage capabilities. The thermal
engine. This system uses the fluid heated by the receiver to
energy-storage capability allows the system to produce
move pistons and create mechanical power. The mechanical
electricity during cloudy weather or at night.[4]
power runs a generator or alternator to produce electricity. .[4]
The U.S. Department of Energy, along with several electric
Solar dish/engine systems always point straight at the sun
utilities, built and operated the first demonstration solar power
and concentrate the solar energy at the focal point of the dish.
tower near Barstow, California, during the 1980s and 1990s.
A solar dish's concentration ratio is much higher than linear
concentrating systems, and it has a working fluid temperature
higher than 1,380°F. The power-generating equipment used
with a solar dish can be mounted at the focal point of the dish,
making it well suited for remote locations, or the energy may
be collected from a number of installations and converted into
electricity at a central point. [4]
The U.S. Army is developing a 1.5 MW system at the
Tooele Army Depot in Utah with 429 Stirling engine solar
dishes. The system is scheduled to be fully operational in 2017
Fig.8 Explanatory diagram of a solar dish system
Fig. 9 Solar dish.
VII. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Solar thermal systems have several advantages. The ‘fuel’
that powers them is free and renewable, so these systems are
cheap to run and can replace some conventional fuel use. Solar
thermal is an emission-free source of energy. Finally, solar
thermal systems are relatively low maintenance because they
use simpler technologies and passive systems that have no
moving parts. In the case of CSP, the technology’s ability to
produce large-scale generation is an advantage for regions that
utilize a centralized electricity distribution system.
Although abundant, many aspects of sunlight can cause
problems for the use of solar thermal systems. Sunshine is not a
very concentrated energy source, so it can take a large area to
make a reasonable amount of energy, evoking land-use
concerns [1]. Sunshine is also intermittent and its availability is
dependent on location [2] .
The location of CSP installations causes additional problems
for the technology. Many are normally located in remote,
desert areas, and, given that steam turbines produce electricity
for CSP, water access and rapid evaporation are key concerns
for the viability of the technology. In addition, transmission of
electricity over large distances is expensive and can lead to
distribution losses.
Finally, practical challenges such as upfront capital costs and
awareness of solar thermal technologies can also be barriers to
implementation in some countries.
VIII. CONCLUSIONS
Solar power is an immense source of directly useable energy
and ultimately creates other energy resources biomass, wind,
hydropower and wave energy.
Most of the Earth's surface receives sufficient solar energy
to permit low-grade heating of water and buildings, although
there are large variations with latitude and season. At low
latitudes, simple mirror devices can concentrate solar energy
sufficiently for cooking and even for driving steam turbines.
Direct use of solar energy is the only renewable means
capable of ultimately supplanting current global energy supply
from non-renewable sources, but at the expense of a land area
of at least half a million km² . [5]
REFERENCES
[1] Boyle, G. (Ed.). (2004). Renewable Energy (Second.). Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
[2] EIA. (2013). Solar - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding
Energy - Energy Information Administration. Retrieved May 31, 2014,
from http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=solar_home
[3] Lorenzini, G., Biserni, C., & Fiacco, G. (2010). Solar Thermal and
Biomass Energy. Ashurst, GBR: WIT Press. Retrieved from
http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary/docDetail.acti
on
[4] US Energy Information Administration (EIA), August 31, 2017, from [5] http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm? technology/science/environmental-science/energy-resources-solar-
page=solar_thermal_power_plants energy/content-section-6