1-2-3 - Solar Thermal Energy

SOLAR THERMAL
ENERGY
Solar Thermal Energy Systems
 How to use solar thermal energy
 Types of solar collectors
 Solar water heater
 Solar thermal power
 Solar thermal cooling
How to Use Solar Thermal Energy
Solar Thermal Energy
Working fluid
Solar Radiation Solar Thermal Energy
Solar collector
So
lar
Ra
So dia
lar t io
Ra n
So dia
lar t io thermal energy
n
Ra
dia
tio
n
working fluid
Types of Solar Collectors
 Collectors and working temperature


Low temperature
Medium
temperature
High temperature
Flat-plate collector
 Use both beam and diffuse solar radiation, do not

require tracking of the sun, and are low-maintenance,
inexpensive and mechanically simple.
 Glazed collector
Unglazed collector
 Main losses of a basic flat-plate collector during

angular operation
Weiss, Werner, and Matthias Rommel. Process Heat Collectors. Vol. 33, 2008.
Evacuated tube collector
 A collector consists of a row of parallel glass tubes.

 A vacuum inside every single tube extremely reduces
conduction losses and eliminates convection losses.
Evacuated tube collector
 Heat pipe  Sydney tube

Collector efficiency
http://polarsolar.com/blog/?p=171
Parabolic trough collector
 Consist of parallel rows of

mirrors (reflectors) curved in
one dimension to focus the
sun’s rays.
 All parabolic trough plants

currently in commercial
operation rely on synthetic oil
as the fluid that transfers heat
from collector pipes to heat
exchangers.
Linear Fresnel reflector
 Approximate the parabolic

trough systems but by using
long rows of flat or slightly
curved mirrors to reflect the
sun’s rays onto a downward-
facing linear, fixed receiver.
 Simple design of flexibly bent
mirrors and fixed receivers
requires lower investment costs
and facilitates direct steam
generation.
Parabolic dish reflector
 Concentrate the sun’s rays at a

focal point propped above the
centre of the dish. The entire
apparatus tracks the sun, with
the dish and receiver moving
in tandem.
 Most dishes have an
independent engine/generator
(such as a Stirling machine or
a micro-turbine) at the focal
point.
Heliostat field collector
 A heliostat is a device that

includes a plane mirror
which turns so as to keep
reflecting sunlight toward a
predetermined target.
 Heliostat field use hundreds

or thousands of small
reflectors to concentrate the
sun’s rays on a central
receiver placed atop a fixed
tower.
Solar Water Heater
 Most popular and well developed application of solar

thermal energy so far
 Low temperature applications
(Mainly using flat plate collector or evacuate tube collector)
Solar Water Heater
Direct (open loop) Indirect (close loop)
User
User
Passive
(Thermosyphon)
User User
Active
Heat
exchanger
Solar Water Heater
 Installation direction
 For northern hemisphere → Facing south
 For southern hemisphere → Facing north
 Installation tilt angle

 The angle of the collector
is roughly equal to the
local latitude
Solar Water Heater
 Annual heat collection vs. direction/tilt angle (in

north hemisphere)
Annual heat collection(%)

Annual heat collection(%)
Increasing collection area

Increasing collection area
L=local latitude
Direction shifted from south (angle)
Tilt angle of the collector

Solar Water Heater
 Residential hot water system

 Hot water production
 House warming
“Solar Thermal Action Plan for Europe”, ESTIF, 2007
 Large-scale system
 Dormitory hot water
 Swimming pool
 Industrial process heating
Solar Water Heater
 Industrial process heating

 In EU, 2/3 of the industrial energy demand consists of heat
rather than electrical energy.
 About 50% of the industrial heat demand is located at
temperatures up to 250°C.
Solar Water Heater
 Market potential of industrial process heating

Solar Thermal Power
 Conversion of sunlight into electricity

 Direct means : photovoltaics (PV),
 Indirect means : concentrated solar power (CSP).
Solar thermal power
 High temperature applications

(by means of sun-tracking, concentrated solar collectors)
Solar Thermal Power
 Electrical power is generated when the concentrated

light is converted to heat and, then, drives a heat
engine (usually a steam turbine) which is connected
to an electrical power generator.
Solar Thermal Power
 Types of solar thermal power plant
Technology roadmap concentrating solar power, IEA,

Solar Thermal Power
 Combination of storage and hybridisation in a solar

thermal plant
Solar Thermal Power
PS10 and PS20 solar power tower (HFC)

(Seville, Spain). 2007 and 2009
Solar Thermal Power
Kimberlina solar thermal energy plant (LFR)

(Bakersfield, CA), 2008.
Solar Thermal Power
Calasparra solar power plant

(LFR)
(Murcia, Spain) 2009.
Solar Thermal Power
Puertollano solar power station (PTC)

(Ciudad real, Spain), 2009
Andasol solar power station (PTC)

(Granada, Spain), 2009
Solar (Thermal) Cooling
 Active cooling
 Use PV panel to generate electricity for driving a
conventional air conditioner
 Use solar thermal collectors to provide thermal energy for
driving a thermally driven chiller Solar thermal cooling
 Passive cooling
 Solar thermal ventilation
Solar Thermal Cooling
International Journal of Refrigeration 3I(2008) 3-15

 Solar cooling benefits from a better time match

between supply and demand of cooling load
1 "Renewable Energy Essentials: Solar Heating and Cooling," International Energy Agency, 2009.
2 B.W. Koldehoff and D. Görisried, "Solar Thermal & Solar Cooling in Germany," Management.
 Active cooling
 Use solar thermal collectors to provide thermal energy for
driving thermally driven chillers.
Heat source Cooling tower
Cooling distribution
Chiller
 Basic type of solar thermal chiller

 Absorption cooling － LiBr+H2O
Closed cycle
 Adsorption cooling － silica gel+H2O
Open cycle
 DEC, Desiccant Evaporative Cooling
Conventional compression cooling Adsorption/absorption cooling
QL QL
Qg
high pressure vapor high pressure vapor
condenser condenser
We desorption
compressor expansion
We
(switch) expansion
valve
valve
absorption
evaporator Qa
low pressure vapor evaporator
QC low pressure vapor QC
COPthermal=QC/Qg
COPelect=QC/We
COPelect=QC/We
COPthermal of different type of chiller
Henning, H. “Solar assisted air conditioning of buildings – an overview.” Applied Thermal Engineering 27, no. 10 (July 2007): 1734-1749.
"Solar Assisted Cooling – State of the Art –,“ESTIF, 2006.

A. Napolitano, "Review on existing solar assisted heating and cooling installations," 28.04.2010 – Workshop Århus, Denmark ABSORPTION, 2010.
D. Mugnier, "Refrigeration Workshop Market analysis Market actors Systems costs Politics : incentives & lobbying Conclusion Introduction,"
28.04.2010 – Workshop Århus, Denmark ABSORPTION, 2010.
D. Mugnier, "Refrigeration Workshop Market analysis Market actors Systems costs Politics : incentives & lobbying Conclusion Introduction,"
28.04.2010 – Workshop Århus, Denmark ABSORPTION, 2010.
 Passive Cooling (solar ventilation, solar chimney)

 A way of improving the natural ventilation of buildings
by using convection of air heated by passive solar
energy.
 Direct gain warms air inside the chimney causing it to
rise out the top and drawing air in from the bottom.
Solar desalination/distillation
 Solar humidification-dehumidification (HDH)
 HDH is based on evaporation of brackish water and consecutive
condensation of the generated humid air, mostly at ambient pressure.
 The simplest configuration: the solar still.
 In sophisticated systems, waste heat is minimized by collecting the heat
from the condensing water vapor and pre-heating the incoming water
source.
Solar Thermal Applications
Facade integration (roof)
Conventional installation way in Taiwan
Conventional installation way in Taiwan
Damage due to typhoon invasion
Damage due to typhoon invasion
Roof integrated flat-plate collectors on
house in Denmark (Source: VELUX)
Facade integration (balcony)

1-2-3 - Solar Thermal Energy

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SOLAR THERMAL

 Collectors and working temperature

 Use both beam and diffuse solar radiation, do not

 Main losses of a basic flat-plate collector during

 A collector consists of a row of parallel glass tubes.

 Heat pipe  Sydney tube

 Consist of parallel rows of

 All parabolic trough plants

 Approximate the parabolic

 Concentrate the sun’s rays at a

 A heliostat is a device that

 Heliostat field use hundreds

 Most popular and well developed application of solar

Direct (open loop) Indirect (close loop)

 Installation tilt angle

 Annual heat collection vs. direction/tilt angle (in

Annual heat collection(%)

Increasing collection area

Direction shifted from south (angle)

Tilt angle of the collector

 Residential hot water system

“Solar Thermal Action Plan for Europe”, ESTIF, 2007

 Industrial process heating

 Market potential of industrial process heating

 Conversion of sunlight into electricity

 High temperature applications

 Electrical power is generated when the concentrated

 Types of solar thermal power plant

Technology roadmap concentrating solar power, IEA,

 Combination of storage and hybridisation in a solar

PS10 and PS20 solar power tower (HFC)

Kimberlina solar thermal energy plant (LFR)

Calasparra solar power plant

Puertollano solar power station (PTC)

Andasol solar power station (PTC)

International Journal of Refrigeration 3I(2008) 3-15

 Solar cooling benefits from a better time match

Heat source Cooling tower

 Basic type of solar thermal chiller

Conventional compression cooling Adsorption/absorption cooling

COPthermal of different type of chiller

"Solar Assisted Cooling – State of the Art –,“ESTIF, 2006.

 Passive Cooling (solar ventilation, solar chimney)

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