KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS: ASSIGNMENT

On

Comparison Chart for Concentrators, Receiver and Transport Mechanism

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

SABAL PANTHEE Er. MALESH SHAH

GROUP: ME II(HYDROPOWER)

ROLL NO: 41165

 1. CC-Concentrator types

SN Concentrators Technical Specifications Scale up Potential Capital Cost

Types
1 Parabolic  Based on the principal of parabolic  The operating  The capital
Trough reflection pointing at sun will reflect temperature is requirement is
Collector parallel rays of light to focal point of around 260- 3000$/kW.
parabola. 400 °C.  The
 The concentration ratio of parabolic  The total operational
trough system ranges from 10 to 85. capacity of and
 A trough tracks the sun in one axis Parabolic maintenance
continually throughout that day. Trough ranges cost is
 Carnot efficiency is around 56%. from 10- 43$/kW-year.
 Thermal Efficiency ranges from 60- 300MW.
80% whereas overall efficiency (power  The annual
plant performance) ranges from 16- capacity factor
20%. is around 23-
 Heat transfer fluid: thermal oil is the 50%.
most used working fluid in solar
thermal plants. However, different
fluids as water steam can also be used.
 Major components of parabolic trough
collectors are:
 Mirrors
 A supporting Structure
 A receiver
 Working Fluid
 Tracking system

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2 Linear Fresnel  Refraction type of focusing collector  The operating The LFC is a
Collector  They use linear receivers and temperature is collector with
reflectors, which are segmented in around 260- significant
single axis tracking heliostats. 400 °C. cost reduction
 Concentration ratio ranges from 8-80.  The total potential,
 Carnot efficiency is around 56%. capacity of mainly due to

 Power plant performance is around 8- linear Fresnel cheaper

12%. Collector is 5- mirrors and

 Water, air or oil is used as heat transfer 250MW. structural

fluid. advantages.

 Major components of linear fresnel

collectors are:
 Collector and Receiver
 Support Structure
 Tracking System
 Piping
 Instrumentation and Safety
mechanism
 Storage system

3 Central  Dish solar concentrators are two-axis  The operating  The capital
Receiver solar tracking systems that concentrate temperature is requirement is
System with the solar radiations toward the thermal around 500- 1690$/kW
Dish Collector receiver located on the focal point of 1200°C.  The
the dish collector.  The annual operational
 Concentration ratio ranges from 800- capacity factor and
8000. is 25%. maintenance
 Carnot efficiency is around 80%.  The capacity cost is
 Net annual solar-to-electric efficiency of this system 11$/kW-year.
is between 16 and 25%. ranges from
 Usually liquid hydrogen or helium is 0.01–0.025
used as heat transfer fluid to facilitate MW.

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 the heat transfer between receiver and
engine.
 Major components of Central Receiver
System with Dish Collector are:
 Collector(Concentrator,
Reflector)
 Stirling Engine
 Generator
 Bearing structure
 Tracking Mechanism

4 Central  Central receivers (or power towers) use  The operating  The capital
Receiver thousands of individual sun-tracking temperature is requirement is
System with mirrors called "heliostats" to reflect around 550- 2605$/kW
Distributed solar energy onto a receiver located on 1000°C.  The
Reflector top of tall tower.  The capacity operational
 It uses two axis tracking mechanism. of this system and
 The concentration ratio typically is in ranges from maintenance
the range between 600 and 1000. 10–200 MW. cost is
 Carnot efficiency is around 73%.  The annual 30$/kW-year.
 Net Annual Efficiency lies around 7- capacity factor
20%. is 20-77%
 Power plant performance is around
form 10-22%
 In indirect system molten nitrate salts
are used as working fluid.
 In direct system configuration
water/steam are used as working fluid.
 Major components of Central Receiver
System with Distributed Reflector are:
 Heliostats
 Receiver
 Tower

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  Air cooled condenser
 Steam generator
 Thermal energy storage tanks
 Generator
 Turbine

2. CC-Receiver types

SN Receiver Technical Specification Scale up Potential Capital Cost

Types
1 Tubular  In tubular concentrated solar  It has receiver fluid  The capital
Receiver radiation is absorbed by bundle of outlet temperature cost of the
tubes able of withstanding high around 500-800°C. system
temperature.  The power output could be
 The energy is transferred to heat capacity of this receiver USD 1500-
transfer fluid flowing within tube. is in the range of 100kW 2500.
 It has low efficiency around 50-60%. – 50MW.  The typical
 Main components are: operational
 Metallic pipe, Bellow, cost for the
Borosilicate glass cover with system with
AR coating, Evacuation the
Nozzle, Glass Metal seal, collector
absorber, Getters and would be
vacuum check spot. USD
0.025-
0.035.
2 Volumetr  It involves circulating the working  Volumetric receivers  O&M costs
ic fluid or heat transfer fluid through with metallic absorbers is $0.025–
Receiver directly irradiated tubes. are able to produce fluid $0.035 per
 Heat transfer fluid is commonly air. outlet temperature from net
800-1000°C. kilowatt-

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  Volumetric receivers can work either  Volumetric receivers hour of
at ambient pressure or elevated with siliconized silicon power
pressure. carbide ceramics are generated
 Receiver operating at ambient able to produce fluid
pressure is open volumetric receivers. outlet temperature of
 Receiver operating at elevated 1200°C.
pressure is closed volumetric  Volumetric receivers
receivers. with silicon carbide are
 Efficiency is around 80%. able to produce fluid
 Major Components are: outlet temperature of
 Header(Collector) 1500°C.
 Insulation(Cavity)  The power output
 Concentrated solar radiation capacity of this receiver
 Header(distributer) is in the range of 10-
 Absorber Tubes 300kW.
 Micro turbine

3 Heat Pipe  It uses a container with a liquid/vapor  It has high temperature  O&M costs
Receiver mixture. capabilities around 500- in the range
 The container will be essentially all at 1500°C. of U.S.
the boiling temperature  Evaporator flux limit is $0.025–
corresponding to the pressure. around 1MW/m2. $0.035 per
 In regions where heat is added, liquid  The power output net
will evaporate, whereas it will capacity of this receiver kilowatt-
condense where heat is extracted. is 10-100MW. hour of
 Efficiency is around 90%. power
 Major components are: generated.

 Collection tube, heat

exchanger, insulation, glass
tube, heat pipe.

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4 Solid  These receivers are based on the  Temperature is greater  Capital
State application of semiconductor than 700°C. costs of
Receiver materials that are designed as directly  The falling particle approximat
irradiated photovoltaic or receiver appears well- ely U.S.
thermoelectric devices. suited for scalability $1500–
 Principle is based on curtain of falling ranging from 10 – 100 $2500 per
solid ceramic particles that directly MW power-tower kilowatt.
absorbs the concentrated solar systems.  Operational
radiation. cost is
 Thermal efficiency is around 50%. around U.S.
 Major components are $0.01–
 Particle elevator, hot particle $0.015 per
storage tank, particle to KW
working fluid heat
exchanger, cold particle
storage tank

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 3. CC-Transport Mechanism

SN Heat Attributes Working Cost Limitations

transfer Temperature
fluids
1 Synthetic  Parabolic trough CSP  It has the  Synthetic  Chances of
oil plants use oil as heat limiting oil has decomposition
transfer fluid. upper high cost of oil is higher
 The concentration ratio operating around while operating
of synthetic oil is 30- temperature 2.10$/KG in higher
100. to 400°C. temperature.

2 Molten  Solar two central  The operating  The cost  Operating

Salts receiver power plant temperature of molten temperature
(solar tower) use molten range from salt is limited by
salts as heat transfer 290°C to 0.70- chemical
fluid. 565°C. 0.93$/KG. stability
 High heat capacity.  Relatively high
 Low vapor pressure at melting point
working temperature. creates salt
 Compatible with direct freezing risks
storage.  Can cause pitting
 The concentration ratio and corrosion at
of synthetic oil is 10-80. high temperature
3 Air  Open volumetric mesh  Heated at  Free of  Relatively low
receiver use air as heat high cost heat transfer
transfer fluid. temperature coefficient
 Compatible with direct around  Large pumping
power cycles. 700°C. power
 The concentration ratio  Indirect storage
of air is 700-1000. required

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  Potentially high
pressure in
receiver
4 Steam  Used in tubular receiver.  The operating  Temperature
 Compatible with direct temperature range limited by
power cycles. is around available steam
 The concentration ratio 100°C turbines
of steam is 1.67.  High pressure
required for
efficient direct
power cycle
 Indirect storage
required at large
scale
 Cooling system
required
5 Liquid  Used in Rankine or a  The operating  Relatively  Low heat
Metals Brayton power cycle. temperature High cost capacity
 High heat transfer is around  High melting
coefficients at high 696°C. point
thermal loads.  Can be
corrosive,
reactive, and/or
toxic depending
on most stainless
alloys

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 REFERENCES

[1] D. P. P. D. A. B. Sanjib Chakraborty, "ANALYSIS OF CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER

TECHNOLOGIES' FEASIBILITY, SELECTION AND PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY FOR
BANGLADESH,"," January 2015.

[2] K. D. N. C. I. R.-S. Pablo D. Tagle-Salazar, "Parabolic trough solar collectors: A general overview
of technology, industrial applications, energy market, modeling, and standards," 23 November 2020.

[3] S. Kapucu, "Concentrating Collectors," January 2001. [Online].

[4] X. X. ,. A. A. K. H. ,. A. K. K. Vignarooban, "Heat transfer fluids for concentrating solar power

systems," 10 March 2015.

[5] C. K. Ho, "Concentrating Solar Power - Receivers," 2015. [Online].

[6] L. Heller, "Literature Review on Heat Transfer Fluids and Thermal Energy Storage Systems in CSP
Plants," 2013.

[7] C. L. Guangdong Zhu, "Review and future perspective of central receiver design and performance,"
27 June 2017.

[8] A. K. B. G. Djamel Benmenine, "Brief on Solar Concentrators: Differences and Applications," vol.
19, 5 october 2020.

[9] A. P. D. P. A. G. Ankit Soni, "Overview Of Different Solar Receiver on Basis of its Configuration
and Heat Transfer Fluid," International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol. 5, 3 September
2017.

[10] L. Aichmayer, "Solar Receiver Design and Verification for Small Scale Polygeneration Unit," 2011.

[11] "Types of Concentrating Collectors," 7 June 2019. [Online]. Available:

http://www.snscourseware.org/snsctnew/files/1562409419.pdf.

[12] D. Gruyter, "Parabolic trough solar collectors: A general overview of technology, industrial
applications, energy market, modeling, and standards," 23 November 2020.

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