RENEWABLE ENERGY

RESOURCES (KOE-074)
UNIT-2
Solar Thermal Energy
Syllabus
 Solar Radiations
• Solar Radiation comes from the sun, which is a
unlimited source of energy.
• This immense amount of power we receive
daily, called Solar Radiation.
• Electromagnetic waves or light travels from sun
to earth.
• It may be in six forms like visible, infrared,
ultraviolet light or radio waves, x-rays and
gamma rays.
Solar Radiation
 Solar Radiations
Properties:-

1. Transmission: may be transmitted

through objects.
2. Reflection: object may reflect the solar
energy.
3. Absorption: objects may absorb it.
 TYPES OF SOLAR RADIATION
Depending on the form in which it reaches the Earth:

• Direct solar radiation or Beam. This type of radiation

penetrates the atmosphere and reaches the Earth's surface
without dispersing at all on the way.
• Diffuse solar radiation. This is the radiation that reaches the
Earth's surface after having undergone multiple deviations in
its trajectory, for example by gases in the atmosphere.
• Total radiation.
Total Radiation= Direct Radiation + Diffuse Radiation
 TYPES OF SOLAR RADIATION
• Reflected solar radiation. This radiation that is
reflected by the earth's surface itself, this
phenomenon known as the albedo effect
• Terrestrial solar radiation- passing through
earth’s atmosphere.
• Extraterrestrial solar radiation- solar radiation
received in the absence of earth’s atmosphere
 Radiation measuring Instruments
• Pyranometer
• Pyrheliometer
• Pyrgeometer
• Net Radiometer
• Sunshine Recorder
 Solar Collectors
• A solar collector is a device that collects solar
radiation or solar energy from the Sun and convert
this energy into thermal energy by absorbing them.
These devices are primarily used for active solar
heating and allow for the heating of water for
personal use.

• These collectors are generally mounted on the roof

and as they are exposed to a variety of
different weather conditions.
 Solar Collectors
Pros:
– Helps cut down your electricity bills.
– Minimizes your carbon footprint.
– Solar collectors do not need any fuels for operation.
Cons:
– High cost of investment.
– The solar thermal plant requires a large quantity of
water, which may be an issue in areas with water
scarcity.
Solar Collectors Types
 Non concentrating collectors
• these collectors have the surface area which absorbs
the heat from the sun and transfer it into the working
fluid.

Flat plate collectors

Evacuated tube collectors
Merits:-Fuel cost is free, free energy of sun is
directly used, pollution free.
Demerits:- costly, large space required for set-up.
 Flat Plate Collectors
• These collectors are simply metal boxes that have some sort
of transparent glass as a cover on top of a dark-coloured
absorber plate.
• The sides and bottom of the collector are usually covered
with insulation to minimize heat losses to other parts of the
collector.
• Solar radiation passes through the transparent glass cover
material and hits the absorber plate.
• This plate heats up, transferring the heat to either water
or air that is held between the transparent glass cover and
absorber plate.
• These plates are usually made out of metal that is a
good conductor - usually copper or aluminum.
Flat Plate Collectors
Flat Plate Collectors
WORKING PRINCIPLE OF FLAT PLATE
COLLECTORS
 Elements of flat plate collectors
1.Absorber plate: The absorber plate is made from copper,
stainless steel, or plastic. The whole surface of absorber is
enclosed with black materials with greater absorbance.
2.Tubes: fluid materials like air, water, oil
3.Cover plate: Conduction, convection, and other losses from the
surface of the absorber plate are reduced by using cover plates.
Cover plates are usually made of fiber glass or plastic.
4.Insulation: Insulation is made up of fiber glass, rock wool, or
glass wool that is placed at the back and sides of the collector to
eliminate any heat losses.
5.Enclosure: The whole setup of the collector is enclosed in a box
which holds all the components together to protect them.
 Advantages & Disadvantages
Advantages
1. Utilizes the both the beam as well as diffuse radiation for
heating
2. Less maintenance requires
3. Low cost

Disadvantages
1. Large heat losses by conduction and radiation.
2. No tracking of sun.
3. Low water temperature is achieved.
4. Heavy in weight.
 APPLICATIONS
• A) Domestic applications
• B) Commercial applications
 Concentrating collectors
• A solar collector that uses reflective surfaces to
concentrate sunlight onto a small area where it is
absorbed & converted into heat or in case of
photovoltaic (PV) devices into electricity.

• Here the receiving area of solar radiation is several

times greater than the absorber area and the efficiency
is high. Mirrors and lenses are used to concentrate sun
rays on the absorber. The temperature of working fluid
can be raised up to 500 0C.
 Concentrating collectors
Merits:- no fuel cost
pollution free
no global warming

Demerits:- high costing

wild-life effects
 Line Focus Collectors
• These collectors, sometimes known as parabolic troughs, use highly
reflective materials to collect and concentrate the heat energy from
solar radiation.
• These collectors are composed of parabolically shaped reflective
sections connected into a long trough.
• A pipe that carries water is placed in the center of this trough so
that sunlight collected by the reflective material is focused onto
the pipe, heating the contents.
• These are very high powered collectors and are thus generally used
to generate steam for Solar thermal power plants and are not used
in residential applications.
• These troughs can be extremely effective in generating heat from
the Sun, particularly those that can pivot, tracking sun in sky to
ensure maximum sunlight collection.
Line Focus Collectors
 Point Focus Collectors
• These collectors are large parabolic dishes composed of some
reflective material that focus the Sun's energy onto a single point.
• Although very effective at collecting sunlight, they must actively
track the Sun across the sky to be of any value. These dishes can
work alone or be combined into an array to gather even more
energy from the Sun.
• Point focus collectors and similar apparatuses can also be utilized
to concentrate solar energy for use with Concentrated
photovoltaic.
• In this case, instead of producing heat, the Sun’s energy is
converted directly into electricity with high efficiency photovoltaic
cells designed specifically to harness concentrated solar energy.
Point Focus Collectors
 Solar Thermal Power Plant
• Solar thermal power/electric 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.
• Solar thermal power plants usually have a large field or array of collectors that supply
heat to a turbine and generator. Several solar thermal power facilities in the United
States have two or more solar power plants with separate arrays and generators.
• 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 Plant
 Solar Thermal Power Plant
There are three main types of concentrating solar thermal
power systems:

• Linear concentrating systems, which include parabolic troughs and linear

Fresnel reflectors
• Solar power towers
• Solar dish/engine systems
 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
 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.
 Linear Fresnel reflectors
• They are similar to parabolic trough systems in
that mirrors (reflectors) concentrate sunlight
onto a receiver located above 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.
• Compact linear Fresnel reflectors (CLFR)—also
referred to as concentrating linear Fresnel
reflectors—are type of LFR technology that has
multiple absorbers within vicinity of mirrors.
Multiple receivers allow mirrors to change their
inclination to minimize how much they block
adjacent reflectors' access to sunlight.
 Solar power towers
• A solar power tower system uses a
large field of flat, sun-tracking mirrors
called heliostats to reflect and
concentrate sunlight onto a receiver
on the top of a tower.
• Sunlight can be concentrated as much
as 1,500 times. Some power towers
use water as heat-transfer fluid.
• Advanced designs are experimenting
with molten nitrate salt because of its
superior heat transfer and energy
storage capabilities.
• The thermal energy-storage capability
allows the system to produce
electricity during cloudy weather or at
night.
 Solar dish/engines
• Solar dish/engine systems use a mirrored dish similar to a very large satellite dish.
• To reduce costs, the mirrored dish is usually composed of many smaller flat
mirrors formed into a dish shape.
• The dish-shaped surface directs and concentrates sunlight onto a thermal
receiver, which absorbs and collects the heat and transfers it to an engine
generator.
• The most common type of heat engine used in dish/engine systems is the Stirling
engine.
• This system uses the fluid heated by the receiver to move pistons and create
mechanical power. The mechanical power runs a generator or alternator to
produce electricity.
• Solar dish/engine systems always point straight at the sun and concentrate the
solar energy at the focal point of the dish.
• 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.
Solar dish/engines
 Solar Water Heating System
• Solar water heating system (SWHS) is a common
application of solar energy where the received radiation is
changed into heat and then transferred into a circulated
medium, mostly water and air.

• By this means, electric water heaters are substituted by

SWHS to support space heating and domestic hot water
(DHW) of 100-300 liters capacity .

• Water is easily heated to a temperature of 60-80 degree

C.
 Main Components
• Solar Collector (to
collect solar energy)
• Insulated tank (to
store hot water)
• Supporting stand
• Connecting pipes and
instrumentation etc.
 Applications
• Solar Water Heating System (SWHS)
can be used for Homes, Community
Centers, Hospitals, Nursing Homes,
Hotels, Dairy Plants,
Swimming Pools, Canteens, Ashrams,
Hostels, Industry etc.
 Types Of Solar Water Heater
• Flat Plate solar water heater – Solar radiation is
absorbed by flat plate collectors which consist of an
insulated outer metallic box covered on the top with
glass sheet.

• Evacuated Tube Collector – The Collector is made of

double layer borosilicate glass tubes evacuated for
providing insulation.
Solar Water Heating System
 Active vs Passive Systems
• The main difference between active and passive solar
hot water heaters is that active systems use
mechanics, such as pumps, to move liquid through the
system; passive systems rely on gravity.

• Active systems may use environmentally-friendly anti-

freeze to transfer heat to water, something a passive
system does not do, active systems need electricity to
operate, whereas passive systems do not.
Active vs Passive Systems
 Passive Heating Active Heating
This system operates without pumps, In this system, pumps, blowers, or other
blowers, or other mechanical devices. mechanical devices require to circulate
working fluid for transportation of heat.
Special building design is necessary. Special building design is not necessary.

The solar radiations are collected by an The solar radiations are collected using
element of the structure itself. The some kind of separate collectors. Solar
various elements of the buildings like energy may be stored in sensible heat
walls, roof, etc., are so selected and so storage materials, or in latent heat
architecturally integrated that they storage materials and the energy is
participate in the collection, storage, redistributed in the building space using
transportation and distribution of pumps, blowers, fans, etc.
thermal energy.
They are suitable where there are ample They can be employed at almost any
winter sunshine and an unobstructed location and type of building.
southern exposure is possible.
It is less expensive than the active It is more expensive than the passive
system to construct and operate. system to construct and operate.
 Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
• They are relatively very simple and easy to install.
• The lack of complex parts makes them very easy to
maintain.
• They are the cheapest of the solar thermal installations.

Disadvantages:
• They cannot be used where freezes occur.
• They are very heavy and can only be roof-installed on
buildings that can support the weight.
 Solar Cookers
• Solar Cookers uses the rays of the sun and converts it
into heat energy for heating the food.
• The solar cooker uses the energy of the sun directly for
preparing food just like the plants.

Working of Solar Cooker:

• A solar cooker is a container or a device that traps
solar energy and helps in heating and cooking food. It
mainly works on three principles i.e. concentration,
absorption and retention.
 Types of solar cookers
1. Box- Type solar cooker
• Typically 60 cm * 60 cm * 20 cm
• Maximum temperature inside box is around 140 to 160 °C.
• Slow cooking – about 2-3 hours.
• Cook 2 kg food
• Save up to 3-4 LPG cylinder fuel in a year.
• An insulated box of blackened aluminum contains utensils
filled with food material.
• Used for Boiling and baking.
2. Paraboloidal Dish-type (Direct Type) Solar Cooker

• Vessel directly receives concentrated solar radiation.

• Temperature about 450 °C
• It can do boiling, baking and frying for 10-15 persons
• Saves 10 LPG per year.
3. Community Solar Cooker
• Indoor cooking with reflector standing outside kitchen
• Cook for 40-50 people
• Black painted cooking pot
• Saves 30 LPG in a year

4. Advanced Solar Cooker

• It has an outdoor parabolic cylindrical reflector and an indoor
insulated hot-box reservoir kept at higher level than collector.
• Temperature is 150 °C on sunny days and 100 °C at night
because it stored thermal energy in it.
• Cook for 40-50 people
• No frying, roasting
 Advantages of solar cooker
• It is cost-effective to use a solar cooker since there is
no charge for utilizing solar energy.
• A solar cooker produces no pollutants.
• The solar cooker is simple to use, and there is no
danger of injury.
• The nutrients in food are not eliminated or damaged.
 Disadvantages of solar cooker
• Solar energy is not accessible everywhere and at all
times.
• Cooking food takes longer.
• The solar cooker's orientation should be altered in
real-time to face the Sun.
• It cannot be used to cook anything.
 Solar furnace
• Solar furnace is a device that uses an array of mirrors to
redirect and concentrate the sun’s rays onto a small surface
area thus producing extremely high temperature.
• It has 2 components-
 a concentrator
 a single piece of large sized heliostat or a system of
a large no. of small heliostats.
• The temperature can go as high as 3500 °C.
• A spherical mirror is a mirror which has the shape of a piece
cut out of a spherical surface.
• There are two types of spherical mirrors: concave, and convex.
Solar furnace
 Advantages
• Heat produced is very clean
• Reduces the Need to Burn Fossil Fuels
• Reduces the Need to Cut Down Forests For Firewood
• Simple working
• Easy to control temperature
• High heat flux obtainable
 Disadvantages
• High cost
• Large solar concentrators are expensive.
• They occupy large amount of space.
• Very high temperature obtained only over a very
small area.
• Limited to sunny days and that too for 4-5 hours only.
Solar Thermo-Mechanical Systems
• Solar thermal energy is converted to mechanical
energy through heat engines.

• The mechanical energy thus produced may be used

for applications requiring shaft power such as water
lifting, cooling etc. or may be converted to electrical
energy as an alternator.

• It’s applications are as follows:-

 Solar thermal Water Pump

•
Twenty-four rooftop solar collectors provide about 45 percent of the hot water used by this fast-food
restaurant in Australia.
This solar thermal pump in Serpong, Indonesia,
provides villagers with hot water.
This community swimming pool in California has heated
water all year long for the use of local residents.
Central tower receiver power plant
Central tower receiver power plant
• In this type, a central tower receiver is used to collect
solar radiation from a large area on the ground using
heliostats (movable mirrors to reflect sunlight).
• The receiver mounted on the top of tower, converts
water into high pressure steam at around 500 °C.
• This steam is used to generate electricity.
• World’s largest central tower power plant is in
California with 20 MW capacity.
Solar Chimney Plant
 Solar Chimney Plant
• Sun light passing through the transparent cover causes
the air trapped in the green house to heat up.
• A convection system is set up in which the air drawn up
through the chimney drives the turbine coupled with a
generator.