Solar Thermal Energy Systems
How to use solar thermal energy
Types of solar collectors
Solar water heater
Solar thermal power
How to Use Solar Thermal Energy
Solar Thermal Energy
Working fluid
Solar Radiation Solar Thermal Energy
Solar collector
thermal energy
working fluid
Types of Solar Collectors
Solar Thermal Energy
Collectors and working temperature
Low temperature
Medium
temperature
High temperature
Flat-plate collector
Solar Thermal Energy
Use both beam and diffuse solar radiation, do not
require tracking of the sun, and are low-maintenance,
inexpensive and mechanically simple.
Flat-plate collector
Solar Thermal Energy
Glazed collector Unglazed collector
Flat-plate collector
Solar Thermal Energy
Flat-plate collector
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
Heat pipe Sydney tube
Collector efficiency
Solar Thermal Energy
http://polarsolar.com/blog/?p=171
Parabolic trough collector
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
Direct (open loop) Indirect (close loop)
User
User
Passive
(Thermosyphon)
User User
Active
Heat
exchanger
Solar Water Heater
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
Market potential of industrial process heating
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
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
Solar Thermal Energy
Types of solar thermal power plant
Technology roadmap concentrating solar power, IEA, 2010.
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
Combination of storage and hybridisation in a solar
thermal plant
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
PS10 and PS20 solar power tower (HFC)
(Seville, Spain). 2007 and 2009
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
Kimberlina solar thermal energy plant (LFR)
(Bakersfield, CA), 2008.
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
Calasparra solar power plant (LFR)
(Murcia, Spain) 2009.
Solar Thermal Power
Solar Thermal Energy
Puertollano solar power station (PTC)
(Ciudad real, Spain), 2009
Andasol solar power station (PTC)
(Granada, Spain), 2009
Solar Thermal Applications
Solar Thermal Energy
Facade integration (roof)
Conventional installation way in Taiwan
Conventional installation way in Taiwan
Roof integrated flat-plate collectors on
house in Denmark (Source: VELUX)
Facade integration (balcony)
Contribution of solar thermal to EU heat
demand by sector
Solar Thermal Energy
Reduction of -40%
Summary, Executive, Werner Weiss, and Peter Biermayr. Potential of Solar Thermal in Europe - Executive Summary, 2009.
Restrictions in Using Solar Energy
Geographical aspects
Financial aspects
Geographical Aspects
Restrictions in Using Solar Energy
Low energy density
Solar radiation has a low energy density relative to other
common energy sources
Unstable energy supply
Solar Energy supply is restricted by time and
geographical location
Easily influenced by weather condition
Financial Aspects
Restrictions in Using Solar Energy
Higher cost compared with traditional energy
The capital cost in utilization of solar energy is generally
higher than that of traditional ones, especially for PV.
Solar water heater
Most economically competitive technology by now
The need of SWH is inversely proportional to local
insolation
Examples
Example 1
A family with 5 members plans to install a solar water heater
which is mainly used for bath. The hot-water temperature
required for bath is 50 ℃, while the annual average
temperature of cold water is 23 ℃. Assuming that each person
needs 60 liters of hot water for taking bath a day. How much
heat should be provided by the solar water heater to satisfy the
family’s demand for bath?
(Note: water specific heat Cp is assumed to be 1 kcal/kg-℃, water density is 1 kg / l. )
Answer 1
Q M C p T
Q Heat Demand
M Hot Water Quantity
C p specific heat capacity of water
ΔT temperature difference between hot and cold water
50C 23C
l kcal
Q 60 5 person 1
person day kg C
50C 23C
kg kcal
60 5 person 1
person day kg C
kcal
8100
day
Example 2
A solar water heater is equipped with an effective collect area
of 1m2, and the daily cumulative insolation onto the collector
is 4 kWh/m2-day in February.
If the average efficiency of the solar water heater is 0.5, how
many kilo-calories (kcal) of heat can be collected by this solar
water heater during a day?
(Note: 1cal = 4.186J = 4.186 W × s).
Answer 2
Qc H A
Qc Heat provided from collector
H Daily accu mulative insolation
A Effective collector area
η Efficiency of solar water heater
kWh
Qc 4 1 m 2
0.5
m day
2
kJ 1
3600 s kcal
kWh kJ
2 2 s 7200 7200 4.186
day day day day
kcal
1720
day
Example 3
The minimum heat demand is 8100 kcal/day, and there is a
certain solar panel which can offer a heat supply of 1720
kcal/m2 in a day. With the absence of auxiliary heating device,
calculate the required installation area of the solar panel.
If the effective arer of this solar panel is 0.8 m2 /piece, how
many pieces of solar panel should be installed to collect this
heat demand?
Answer 3
Q Demand Heat
Q
A Qc Heat provided from collector per m 2
Qc A Effective collector area
8100 kcal
day
A 4.764m 2
1720 kcal
m 2 day
4.764m 2
2
5.955 6 pieces
0.8m
Example 4
From meteorological data, the average daily accumulative
insolation in Tainan is 420 ly/day (i.e., langley / day).
For a solar collector that faces south with a area of 2 m2 and
tilt angle of 0 degree, what is the daily accumulative insolation
onto the collector surface? (in kWh and kcal, respectively)
(Note: ly = Langley = cal/cm2).
Answer 4
ly cal
420 2 m2 420 2 2 m2
day cm day
1
kcal kcal
(1) 420 1000
2 m2 4200
1
10000m day
2
day
4.186W s 1000 kW 3600 hr
4.186 1
kWh
(2) 420 1 2 2 m 420 1 2
2
2 m2 9.767
10000 m day 10000 m day day
