SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY

CONVERSION SYSTEMS
 CONVERSION OF SOLAR ENERGY
• The solar thermal energy is a clean, cheap and abundantly available renewable
energy
• The sun is a sustainable source of providing solar energy in the form of
radiations, visible light and infrared radiation.
• This solar energy is captured naturally by different surfaces to produce thermal
effect or to produce electricity
• Solar energy can be converted into ‘thermal energy’ by using solar collector.
• It can be converted into ‘electricity’by using photovoltaic cell.
Advantages:
• Solar energy is easily and abundantly available.
• It is re-usable source of energy.
• It is eco-friendly (i.e. pollution free).
• It reduces Green-house gas emissions.
Disadvantages:
• Availability is limited to sun hours
• Need of storage.
• Large area entails high capital cost.
• Owing to change in the position of sun, tracking is required.
Applications:
• Solar energy is used in solar water heating.
• It is used for solar pumping.
• It is employed in solar distillation.
• It finds use in solar cooking.
• It is used in the generation of electric power.
 Terms used in Solar radiation
• Beam (or direct) radiation (Ib). Solar radiation received on the surface of earth
without change in directions is known as “beam or direct radiation”.
• Diffuse radiation (Id). The solar radiation received from the sun after its
direction has been changed by reflection and scattering by atmosphere is known
as “diffuse radiation”.
• Total radiation (IT). The sum of beam and diffuse radiations intercepted at the
surface of earth per unit area of location is known as “total radiation”. It is also
known as “Insolation”.
Mathematically: IT = Ib + Id
• In the solar energy utilisation, the first step is the collection of this energy.
• This is done through “collectors’ whose surfaces are designed for high
absorptivity and low emissivity.
• Solar energy conversion can be achieved by the following two methods
(i) Solar thermodynamic; (ii) Solar-photovoltaic.
• When an object receives radiant energy, a proportion, depending upon the angle
of incidence and nature of surface, is reflected, a part is absorbed and some of
it transmitted through the object.
• With a few important exceptions (e.g., photovoltaic cells), energy absorbed
radiation is rapidly degraded to heat.
• The temperature attained is determined by a balance between the input of
absorbed energy, the rate of heat removal and the heat loss to the environment.
• The heat loss increases with temperature and limits the ultimate temperature
attained by a ‘collector system’.
• It also reduces the proportion of useful heat extractable from the system.
• The highest temperature and maximum output of useful power are obtained when
a highly absorbent, well insulated body is exposed to a high intensity of solar
radiation.
• Solar collectors, based on their geometry, can be divided into a number of generic
types.
• These vary in efficiency and, consequently, useful heat output, depending on
demand temperature
Collectors in Various Ranges and Applications
• The following list gives the thermal applications of solar energy and possible
temperature ranges:
1. Low temperature:(t = 100°C)
• Water heating
• Space heating
• Space cooling
• Drying. Flat Plate Collectors
2. Medium temperature: (t: 100 to 200°C)
• Vapour engines and turbines
• Process heating
• Refrigeration
• Cooking. Cylindrical Parabola
3. High temperature:(t > 200°C)
• Steam engines and turbines
• Stirling engine
• Thermo-electric generators. Parabolloid Mirror arrays
• “concentrators or focusing type collectors” can give high temperatures
than flatplate collectors
Principles of Conversion of Solar Energy into Heat

• When solar radiation from the sun, in the form of light , reaches earth, visible
sunlight is absorbed on the ground and converted into heat energy but
nonvisible light is re-radiated by earth.
• CO2 in atmosphere absorbs this light and radiates back a part of it to the earth,
which results in the increase in temperature. This whole process is called Green-
house effect.
• Hence, the Greenhouse effect brings about an accumulation of energy of the
ground.
Collection Systems
Solar thermal collection system:
A solar thermal collection system works in the following manner:
(i) It gathers the heat from the solar radiation and gives it to the heat transport fluid
(also called primary coolant).
(ii) The fluid delivers the heat to the thermal storage tank (viz. boiler steam
generator,heat exchanger etc.).
(iii) The storage system stores heat for a few hours. The heat is released during
cloudy hours and at night.
Thermal-electric conversion system:
• This system receives thermal energy and drives steam turbine generator or gas
turbine generator.
• The electrical energy is supplied to the electrical load or to the grid.
Co-generation plants:
• In co-generation plants heat in the form of hot water or steam may also be
supplied to the consumer in addition to the electrical energy.
• In this case, hot water/steam from the reservoir may be pumped through outlet
pipes to the load side.
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
• The FPC is the heart of any solar energy collection system
• Designed for operation in the low and medium temperature range between 60 C
and 100 C
• Used to absorb both the beam and the diffuse solar radiation after transmission
from the glass cover
• The absorber converts it into thermal energy and then transfers the absorbed
thermal energy into a stream of liquid or gas
• Does not require tracking of the Sun
• Requires little operation and maintenance
Components of Flat Plate Collectors
a. Glazing
• This is transparent material for the short wavelength range (0.23-2.6) μm and
opaque for the long wavelength range 2.6 μm. The number of transparent
materials used can be more than one
b.Tubes and fins
• The fluid is allowed to pass through tubes and fins for conducting or directing the
heat transfer from absorber to the flowing fluid
c.Absorber plate
• This is a blackened conducting flat plate, corrugated or grooved, with tubes and
fins for the absorption of short wavelength solar radiation
d. Header or manifolds
There are two headers, namely, the lower header, which allows fluid to pass
through, and upper header, which is used to discharge hot water after heating
e. Insulation
• This is a non conducting material at the bottom of tube and fins to
minimize heat loss from the back and sides of the FPC
f. Container or casing
• This surrounds the various components and protects them from dust and
moisture, etc
• The critical component of the FPC is to act as the absorber and tubes/duct for
the flow of liquid/gas
• In case of the water collector, water flowing in the tubes receives thermal energy
from the absorber plate
The role of absorber of FPC is
i.To absorb the maximum possible solar radiation incident on it through the glazing
ii.To minimize heat losses from the absorber to the atmosphere from the top,
bottom, and sides of the FPC and
iii.to transfer maximum heat to the fluid
• A liquid, most commonly, water is used as heat transport medium from
collector to next stage of the system
• Sometimes mixture of water and ethylene glycol (antifreeze mixture) are also
used if the ambient temperatures are likely to drop below 0 C during nights
• As solar radiation strikes on specially treated metallic absorber plate, it is
absorbed and raises its temperature
• The absorber plate is usually made from a metal sheet ranging in thickness from
0.2 to 1 mm
• Materials generally used for collector absorber plates are copper, aluminum,
and steel
• The selective surface coating of the absorber plate must ensure high
absorptivity (α) and low emissivity (Є) to retain maximum thermal energy
• The solar energy absorbed by the absorber plate heats the absorber plate
• The thermal energy from the absorber plate is transferred to the fluid circulating in
the tubes in thermal contact with the absorber plate or fluid can directly extract the
heat if it is flowing on the absorbing plate
• Heat remains trapped in the airspace between the absorber plate and glass
cover in a manner similar to green house
• The sides and bottom of the FPC are properly insulated to reduce losses from
the bottom and sides
Factors affecting the performance of a flat-plate
collector:

The following factors affect the performance of a flat-plate collector:

1. Incident solar radiation. The collector’s efficiency is directly related to solar
radiation falling on it and increases with rise in temperature.

2. Number of cover plates. The increase in number of cover plates reduces the
internal connective heat losses but also prevents the transmission of radiation
inside the collector.

3. Spacing between absorber plate and glass cover. The more the space between
the absorber and the cover plate, the less is the internal heat loss.
4. Tilt of the collector. In order to achieve better performance, flat-plate collector should be
tilted at an angle of latitude of the location.— The collector is placed with south facing
to receive maximum radiation throughout the day.

5. Selective surface. The selective surface should be able to withstand high temperature,
should not oxidise and should be corrosion resistant.

6. Fluid inlet temperature. With the increase in the inlet temperature of the fluid, there is
an increase in operating temperature of the collector and this leads to decrease in
efficiency.
7. Dust on cover plate. The collector’s efficiency decreases as dust particles increase on the
cover plate. Thus, frequent cleaning is required to get the maximum efficiency of the
collector.
Liquid Flat Plate Collectors
• Liquid Flat plate can absorb both beam and diffused radiations
• Metallic absorber plate absorbers the solar radiation and its temperature rises
Consists of
i. Absorber plate
ii. Tubes, channels or passages
iii. Weather tight insulated container
iv. Transparent cover of glass
Flat‐plate Air‐heating Collector
Types of air heating collectors
Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications of Flat-
plate Collectors
Advantages:
• Both beam and diffuse solar radiations are used.
• Require little maintenance.
• The orientation of the sun is not required (i.e. no tracking device needed)
• Mechanically simpler than the focusing collectors.
Disadvantages:
• Low temperature is achieved.
• Heavy in weight.
• Large heat losses by conduction due to large area.
Applications:
• Used in solar water heating.
• Used in solar heating and cooling.
• Used in low temperature power generation.
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