People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research

zian Ashour University Djelfa
Faculty of Exact Sciences
Specialization in Energy Physics and Renewable Energy

Djelfa University

Search title :

Thermal solar energy

Student's name and family name: Under the supervision of Dr:

- Telha ben saleh - Mr.abdelhafidhi

academic year:
2021\2022
Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................ 3

1- brief history ................................................................................... 4

2- The sun: ......................................................................................... 4

3- solar energy source ........................................................................ 5

4- Basic concept of solar thermal collectors: ..................................... 6

5- Categorization of solar thermal collectors: .................................... 6

5-1- Nonconcentrator collectors: ..................................................... 7

5-1-1- Flat plate collector: .............................................................. 7

5-1-2- Evacuated tube collectors: .................................................. 8

5-2- Concentrator collectors: ............................................................ 9

5-2-1- Parabolic trough collector: .................................................. 9

5-2-2- Central receiver or heliostat field reflector: ...................... 10

5-2-3- Parabolic dish reflector: .................................................... 11

5-2-4- Compound parabolic and Fresnel lens collectors: ............. 12

Conclusion: ........................................................................................ 13

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Introduction
Energy is one of the basic needs for automation, modernization, and economic development.
Fossil fuels and renewable resources (e.g., solar, wind, water, geothermal, and biomass
sources) are the major sources of energy. Solar power is a green form of renewable energy.
It is huge, plenty, and free of charge.
Today, energy demand is rising daily due to the growth of technology and industry.
Furthermore, due to the decrease in fossil fuel resources and pollution, it is important to
utilize alternative and clean sources. More emphasis should now be placed on pure and
environmentally friendly fuels such as solar energy.
However, all current energy resources can’t be replaced by solar power. Nearly 60%e70% of
our present energy requirements may be taken care of by utilizing solar energy. Photovoltaic
(PV) devices/solar cells or solar collectors are the main technologies to capture solar power.

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 1- brief history
Solar energy has been used in various ways since the seventh century BC, where solar
rays were magnified and used to create fire, and in the third century BC the Greeks and
Romans used burning mirrors as light detectors for religious purposes. While in the second
century BC Archimedes used the reflective properties of brass to set fire to Roman ships
attacking Syracuse, where the Roman war fleet was burned in the war of 212 BC by
concentrating solar radiation on enemy ships by hundreds of metal shields. In the Babylonian
era, the women priests used golden vessels that were polished like mirrors to focus solar
radiation to obtain fire. Some ancient scientists also used solar energy to melt materials,
cook food, generate water vapor, distill water and heat air ]1[.

2- The sun:
The sun is a large ball of plasma consisting mainly of hydrogen (92%), helium (8%) and
small amounts of atoms or other elements. The plasma is where electrons are separated
from the nucleus because the temperature is high (the kinetic energy of the nucleus and
electrons is large) In the center of the sun, the protons are close enough to each other for the
nuclear reaction to occur, although the protons repel each other because of their charge, so
the nuclear reaction is stronger than the repulsion of the electromagnetic interaction and from
it the protons turn into helium nuclei, and because the mass of the helium nucleus is less
than the mass of the four protons, this difference In mass it turns into energy (fig 01).]2[

Fig 01: sun is rays enter earth

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 3- solar energy source
Deep in the center of the Sun, intense nuclear activity generates huge amounts of
radiation. This radiation, in turn, generates light energy called photons. These photons do not
have their own physical mass, but they carry huge amounts of energy and momentum.
Different photons carry different wavelengths of light that is invisible (infrared and ultraviolet),
and visible (white light), over time these photons erupt from the center of the sun. It could
take a photon a million years to travel from the core to the surface. Once at the surface of the
Sun, these photons shoot through space at 670 million miles per hour. They reach Earth in
about eight minutes and on their journey from the sun to Earth, photons can collide with and
deflect other particles, being destroyed upon contact with anything that can absorb radiation
and generate heat. That’s why you feel warm on a sunny day: your body absorbs photons
from the sun, and our atmosphere absorbs many of these photons before they reach the
Earth’s surface. This is one of two reasons why the sun is hotter in the middle of the day (fig
02) [3].

Fig 02: the reactions inside a sun

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 4- Basic concept of solar thermal collectors:
Among the other forms of renewable sources, solar, that is, energy from the sun has
gained more focus due to its vast range of applications. This solar energy converts to thermal
heat or electricity for use using solar collector technology. Its thermal application is dating
back to thousands of years to present. However, with time the technological advancement
has increased its types of applications and conversion efficiency. Solar thermal collector
technology is being used for different applications to date. The basic concept of solar thermal
collector involves when radiation from the sun hits a surface, some portion of it is absorbed,
causing the surface temperature to increase. The increased temperature in form of heat is
transported through a medium called fluid to the point of application. Solar collector efficiency
is determined by absorption efficiency of the surface, minimized radiation losses back to the
atmosphere, and the extraction of reasonable amount of heat energy in the collector. Solar
collectors involve two categories which are concentrating and non-concentrating collectors.

5- Categorization of solar thermal collectors:

Solar thermal collectors are categorized into two namely: nonconcentrating and
concentrating.
These categories are further classified into various collectors shown in (Fig 03) . The basic
design and function, thermal analysis of each collector classified are discussed under each
category.

Fig 03: collector classified

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5-1- Nonconcentrator collectors:
This type of collectors comprises of flat plate, evacuated tube collectors and does not
require a concentrating technique rather the amount of ray collected depends on the surface
area. Large surface area in the case is important to increase efficiency of the collector.

5-1-1- Flat plate collector:

Flat plate collectors which are nonconcentrating types are composed of flat thermal
collector in design or shape. They are in two types called as glazed and unglazed. They can
transfer heat through working fluid like water, refrigerants, air, etc. For flat plate collector,
radiation hits transparent cover with surface of high absorptivity, the plate absorbed portions
of the radiation energy which in turn converts into heat then transmit to the transport fluid
through tubes for storage or use (fig 04).

Fig 04: Flat plate collector

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5-1-2- Evacuated tube collectors:
Evacuated tube collector is a tube-like collector consisting of series of evacuated tubes to
raise water temperature for use when received sunlight. Vacuum, or evacuated spaces are
used in the tubes to let in radiations and trap heat by reducing heat loss to the atmosphere.
The tubes are made up of metal which act as absorber plate, fixed to a pipe (heat pipe) to
dispatch the heat energy collected from the sun to the water for applications (fig 05).]4[

Fig 05: Evacuated tube collectors

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5-2- Concentrator collectors:
They are systems that use lenses and mirrors to focus the scattered solar rays carrying
thermal energy towards a specific spot, and according to multiple and varied mechanisms,
this concentrated heat is converted into electrical energy. Thus, in this system, electrical
energy is obtained indirectly from energy.

5-2-1- Parabolic trough collector:

This type consists of parallel rows of long parabola-shaped mirrors that rotate around a
horizontal axis to follow the path of the Sun, as in the corresponding figure (6) .
The solar radiation is focused on a linear receiver containing a medium for heat transfer
through tubes. The medium can be thermal oil, capable of withstanding high temperatures, or
alternatively pressurized water. This is collected and passed through a heat exchanger
where the steam is raised to supply the turbines. Operating temperatures range between 350
and 400 degrees Celsius (fig 06).

Fig 06 : Parabolic trough collector

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5-2-2- Central receiver or heliostat field reflector:
A central receiver is mounted on top of a tower surrounded by a field of focused mirrors that
track the sun, reflect solar canopies and focus light on the receiver.
The energy focused on the receiver is then transferred either directly to the thermodynamic
fluid where temperatures up to 1000°C can be achieved to directly generate steam driving a
turbine, heat air to supply a gas turbine, or use it to heat an intermediate coolant. This
coolant is then sent to the boiler and the steam generated drives a turbine. In all cases,
turbines drive generators that produce electricity (fig 07)]5[

Fig 07 : Central receiver or heliostat field reflector

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5-2-3- Parabolic dish reflector:
Using a mirror (reflector) in the form of satellite dishes, the system tracks the Sun so that
the radiation is always parallel to the axis of mirror symmetry and the equivalent sensors
operate independently. The solar radiation can be concentrated more strongly, ie with a
concentration factor in the range of 1000-3000 and then concentrated Towards a focal point
of the dish called the center or receiver, where the radiation is absorbed and the temperature
of the receiver rises up to 1000 degrees Celsius as shown in Figure (08):

Fig 08 : Parabolic dish reflector

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5-2-4- Compound parabolic and Fresnel lens collectors:
In "smaller" technologies based on this principle at least in terms of its implementation a
number of planar mirror elements are distributed, all of which are installed at the same height
near the ground. The position of the Sun is tracked by rotating around their long axes so that
they point to a focus line at a height of 10-15 meters where the solar radiation is converted at
its level, which remains constant over time. Its length is up to 1000 m, in which the heat
transfer fluid is excessively heated and evaporated up to 500 ° C. Because of the focused
radiation towards it, the resulting steam then drives the turbines that produce electricity
(fig 09)]6[

Fig 09: Compound parabolic and Fresnel lens collectors

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Conclusion:
The concentration of solar technology can play a fundamental role in the future of the
world’s energy production, allowing the production of large quantities of electricity
and hydrogen, which are completely renewable and without emission of greenhouse
gases, at competitive costs.
The available theoretical potential in the 'sun-belt' countries is in fact large enough to
ensure a meaningful contribution to the predictable world requirements. The
technological maturity regarding electricity production will be realized in the medium
to brief term, and regarding hydrogen production in the medium to long term
This fact has lead to a renewed interest in proposing countries with a strong
technological background, such as Germany, as candidates for ambitious
development plans in collaboration with the middle-southern and Mediterranean area
countries.
The presence of areas which are favourable for the concentration of solar
technologies, in the southern European countries also , has allowed the building of
prototype plants to create a solid industrial base so that they can take advantage of,
in addition to the energy production (especially from the manufacturing experience),
the huge potential exploitation, with returns in terms of supplies for the national
industries.
In fact, it is evident that, being primarily a free source, the total invoice which is
linked to energy production from the solar source is good for those who realize and
takes care of the maintenance of production plants, and those who have the know-
how are destined to exploit most of the connected businesses.

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list of sources:

]1[ 01‫ ص‬،‫ الطاقة الكهروشمسية‬,2016,‫ كاميليا محمد يوسف‬.‫د‬

]2[ Vaughn Nelson, 2011, introduction to renewable Energy,p35

]3[ Michael Boxwell ,2012, Solar Electricity Handbook, p19

]4[ Md Hasanuzzaman,2022,Technologies for Solar Thermal Energy,p95-106

]5[ Leon Freris,2008 ,Renewable Energy in Power Systems, p23,40-41

]6[ Henry Kalb, Werner,2009, Large-Scale Solar Thermal Power,p52-55

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