Technological Advances to Maximize Solar Collector Energy Output: A Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapnil S. Salvi ◽  
Vishal Bhalla ◽  
Robert A. Taylor ◽  
Vikrant Khullar ◽  
Todd P. Otanicar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Selective Coating ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Highly Correlated

Since it is highly correlated with quality of life, the demand for energy continues to increase as the global population grows and modernizes. Although there has been significant impetus to move away from reliance on fossil fuels for decades (e.g., localized pollution and climate change), solar energy has only recently taken on a non-negligible role in the global production of energy. The photovoltaics (PV) industry has many of the same electronics packaging challenges as the semiconductor industry, because in both cases, high temperatures lead to lowering of the system performance. Also, there are several technologies, which can harvest solar energy solely as heat. Advances in these technologies (e.g., solar selective coatings, design optimizations, and improvement in materials) have also kept the solar thermal market growing in recent years (albeit not nearly as rapidly as PV). This paper presents a review on how heat is managed in solar thermal and PV systems, with a focus on the recent developments for technologies, which can harvest heat to meet global energy demands. It also briefs about possible ways to resolve the challenges or difficulties existing in solar collectors like solar selectivity, thermal stability, etc. As a key enabling technology for reducing radiation heat losses in these devices, the focus of this paper is to discuss the ongoing advances in solar selective coatings and working fluids, which could potentially be used in tandem to filter out or recover the heat that is wasted from PVs. Among the reviewed solar selective coatings, recent advances in selective coating categories like dielectric-metal-dielectric (DMD), multilayered, and cermet-based coatings are considered. In addition, the effects of characteristic changes in glazing, absorber geometry, and solar tracking systems on the performance of solar collectors are also reviewed. A discussion of how these fundamental technological advances could be incorporated with PVs is included as well.

scholarly journals Recent Developments in Solar Thermal Desalination Technologies: A Review

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ihsan Ullah ◽  
Mohammad Rasul
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Fresh Water ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Cost Comparison ◽  
Grid Infrastructure ◽  
The World ◽  
Thermal Desalination ◽  
Recent Developments

Fresh water resources are depleting rapidly as the water demand around the world continues to increase. Fresh water resources are also not equally distributed geographically worldwide. The best way to tackle this situation is to use solar energy for desalination to not only cater for the water needs of humanity, but also to offset some detrimental environmental effects of desalination. A comprehensive review of the latest literature on various desalination technologies utilizing solar energy is presented here. This paper also highlights the environmental impacts of desalination technologies along with an economic analysis and cost comparison of conventional desalination methods with different solar energy based technologies. This review is part of an investigation into integration of solar thermal desalination into existing grid infrastructure in the Australian context.

scholarly journals Economic and Social Aspects of Using Energy from PV and Solar Installations in Farmers’ Households in the Podkarpackie Region

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3158
Author(s):  
Ryszard Kata ◽  
Kazimierz Cyran ◽  
Sławomir Dybka ◽  
Małgorzata Lechwar ◽  
Rafał Pitera
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Agricultural Income ◽  
Energy Needs

The growing energy needs of agriculture, the need to reduce the burning of fossil fuels, and, on the other hand, the increasing technical efficiency are contributing to the wider use of solar energy technology in agriculture. The aim of the article is to identify factors determining farmers’ investments in solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installations for electricity and heat production, to establish the proportion between the consumption of such energy for the needs of the farmer’s family and for the needs of the farm, and to identify the drivers of solar energy use in agricultural production. Empirical materials were collected through surveys of farmers conducted at the end of 2020 in south-eastern Poland, in the Podkarpackie region. It is a region characterized by significant land fragmentation. Producing energy from renewable sources can be an opportunity for farmers not only to reduce household expenses, but also to increase agricultural income. As a result, it can be a driver of sustainable agricultural development in the region. The article presents the most important economic and social determinants that stimulate the adoption of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies by farmers for the needs of their households as well as for agricultural production.

scholarly journals Review of Energy Harvesting for Buildings Based on Solar Energy and Thermal Materials

CivilEng ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 852-873
Author(s):  
Luciana Sucupira ◽  
João Castro-Gomes
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Harvesting ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Capture ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Energy Harvesting Devices

Reducing the use of fossil fuels and the generation of renewable energy have become extremely important in today. A climatic emergency is being experienced and society is suffering due to a high incidence of pollutants. For these reasons, energy harvesting emerges as an essential source of renewable energy, and it benefits from the advancement in the scope of solar and thermal energy which are widely abundant and usually wasted. It is an option to obtain energy without damaging the environment. Recently, energy harvesting devices, which produce electricity, have been attracting more and more attention due to the availability of new sources of energy, such as solar, thermal, wind and mechanical. This article looks at recent developments in capturing energy from the sun. This literature review was performed on research platforms and analyzes studies on solar and thermal energy capture carried out in the last four years. The methods of capturing solar energy were divided according to how they were applied in civil engineering works. The types of experiments carried out were the most diverse, and several options for capturing solar energy were obtained. The advantages and disadvantages of each method were demonstrated, as well as the need for further studies. The results showed that the materials added to the components obtained have a lot of advantages and could be used in different energy capture types, such as photovoltaic, thermoelectric generators, pyroelectricity and thermometrical. This demonstrates that the capture of solar energy is quite viable, and greater importance should be given to it, as the number of research is still small when compared to other renewable energies.

R&D of Thermochemical Reactor Concepts to Enable Seasonal Heat Storage of Solar Energy in Residential Houses

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. A. Zondag ◽  
R. Schuitema ◽  
L. P. J. Bleijendaal ◽  
J. Cot Gores ◽  
V. M. van Essen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Heat Recovery ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Heat Storage ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Heat ◽  
Seasonal Heat

About 30% of the energy consumption in the Netherlands is taken up by residences and offices. Most of this energy is used for heating purposes. In order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, it is necessary to reduce this energy use as much as possible by means of insulation and heat recovery. The remaining demand could be met by solar thermal, provided that an effective way would exist for storing solar heat.

scholarly journals Exploring the untapped potential of solar photovoltaic energy at a smart campus: Shadow and cloud analyses

2021 ◽  
pp. 0958305X2110089
Author(s):  
Zeineb Behi ◽  
Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng ◽  
Amy Richter ◽  
Nima Karimi ◽  
Abhijeet Ghosh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Solar Irradiance ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
University Campus ◽  
Energy Capture ◽  
Pv Systems ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Power Utilities

Solar energy is abundant, and technological advances have made solar energy systems more affordable than ever before. Using photovoltaic (PV) systems could significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and facilitate sustainable energy uses. Solar power utilities, such as self-compacting disposal bins could be used to enhance waste management processes. This is particularly important in Canada, where $3.3 billion was spent on waste management systems in 2016. In this study, solar irradiance and climatic conditions at eight locations on a University campus in Regina, Saskatchewan, are studied. Results suggest that solar utilities with automatically adjusting PV receivers could increase energy capture between 18.7 – 27.5%. Temporally, solar irradiance was similar in June and July, but lower in August. Statistical analysis found that some locations tended to be more susceptible to shadow effects. The results highlight the importance of spatial allocations of these small smart disposal bin systems. Regression analysis found that temperature was the most significant factor when relating climate to solar irradiance. The use of smart disposal bins fits well with the University’s 2020–2025 Strategic Plan of reduction in ecological footprint.

scholarly journals Heat Transfer of Nanomaterial over an Infinite Disk with Marangoni Convection: A Modified Fourier’s Heat Flux Model for Solar Thermal System Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 11609
Author(s):  
Mahanthesh Basavarajappa ◽  
Giulio Lorenzini ◽  
Srikantha Narasimhamurthy ◽  
Ashwag Albakri ◽  
Taseer Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Heat Flux ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Marangoni Convection ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Thermal Systems ◽  
Flux Model ◽  
Heat Flux Model

The demand for energy due to the population boom, together with the harmful consequences of fossil fuels, makes it essential to explore renewable thermal energy. Solar Thermal Systems (STS’s) are important alternatives to conventional fossil fuels, owing to their ability to convert solar thermal energy into heat and electricity. However, improving the efficiency of solar thermal systems is the biggest challenge for researchers. Nanomaterial is an effective technique for improving the efficiency of STS’s by using nanomaterials as working fluids. Therefore, the present theoretical study aims to explore the thermal energy characteristics of the flow of nanomaterials generated by the surface gradient (Marangoni convection) on a disk surface subjected to two different thermal energy modulations. Instead of the conventional Fourier heat flux law to examine heat transfer characteristics, the Cattaneo–Christov heat flux (Fourier’s heat flux model) law is accounted for. The inhomogeneous nanomaterial model is used in mathematical modeling. The exponential form of thermal energy modulations is incorporated. The finite-difference technique along with Richardson extrapolation is used to treat the governing problem. The effects of the key parameters on flow distributions were analyzed in detail. Numerical calculations were performed to obtain correlations giving the reduced Nusselt number and the reduced Sherwood number in terms of relevant key parameters. The heat transfer rate of solar collectors increases due to the Marangoni convection. The thermophoresis phenomenon and chaotic movement of nanoparticles in a working fluid of solar collectors enhance the temperature distribution of the system. Furthermore, the thermal field is enhanced due to the thermal energy modulations. The results find applications in solar thermal exchanger manufacturing processes.

scholarly journals Inorganic Photochemistry and Solar Energy Harvesting: Current Developments and Challenges to Solar Fuel Production

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Sinval F. Sousa ◽  
Breno L. Souza ◽  
Cristiane L. Barros ◽  
Antonio Otavio T. Patrocinio
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Water Oxidation ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Solar Fuel ◽  
Fuel Production ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Continuous Use

The large and continuous use of fossil fuels as a primary energy source has led to several environmental problems, such as the increase of the greenhouse effect. In order to minimize these problems, attention has been drawn to renewable energy production. Solar energy is an attractive candidate as renewable source due to its abundance and availability. For this, it is necessary to develop devices able to absorb sunlight and convert it into fuels or electricity in a economical, technical and sustainable way. The so-called artificial photosynthesis has called the attention of researchers due to the possibility of using solar photocatalysts in converting water and CO2 into fuels. This manuscript presents a review of the recent developments of hybrid systems based on molecular photocatalysts immobilized on semiconductor surfaces for solar fuel production through water oxidation and CO2 reduction and also discusses the current challenges for the potential application of these photocatalyst systems.

Potential of Solar Thermal Energy for CCHP Systems

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Fumo ◽  
Louay M. Chamra ◽  
Vicente Bortone
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy

Integrated energy systems combine distributed power generation with thermally activated components to use waste heat, improving the overall energy efficiency, and making better use of fuels. Use of solar thermal energy is attractive to improve combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems performance, particularly during summer time since the cooling load coincides very well with solar energy availability. Limitation of the use of solar systems is mainly related to high first cost and large surface area for solar energy harvesting. Therefore, solar thermal CCHP systems seem to be an alternative to increase the use of solar thermal energy as a means to increase energy systems overall efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. This study focuses on the use of solar collectors in CCHP systems in order to reduce PEC and emission of CO2 in office buildings. By using a base CCHP system, the energy and economic analysis are presented as the contribution of the solar system from the baseline. For comparison purposes, the analysis is made for the cities of Minneapolis (MN), Chicago (IL), New York (NY), Atlanta (GA), and Fort Worth (TX). Results show that solar thermal CCHP systems can effectively reduce the fuel energy consumption from the boiler. The potential of solar collectors in CCHP systems to reduce PEC and CO2 emission increases with the cooling demand; while the effectiveness of solar collectors to reduce primary energy consumption and CO2 emission, and the ability of the system to pay by itself from fuel savings, decreases with the number of solar collectors.

scholarly journals A Review on Solar Thermal Utilization for Industrial Heating and Cooling Processes: Global and Ethiopian Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-256
Author(s):  
Yacob Gebreyohannes ◽  
Mulu Bayray ◽  
Johan Lauwaert
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Medium Temperature ◽  
Cooling Systems ◽  
Solar Cooling ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Industrial Heating

A substantial share of the total energy in various countries is consumed by industries and manufacturing sectors. Most of the energy is used for low and medium temperature process heating (up to 3000C) as well as low and medium cooling capacity (up to 350kW). To meet the demand, the industrial sector consumes most of its energy in either thermal (heat) or electrical energy forms. The use of fossil fuels accounts for about half of the overall share. This resulted in a necessity to commercialize local and clean renewable energy sources efficiently considering the reduction of economic dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gases emission. As such, solar energy has proven potential and resulted in considerable development and deployment of solar heating industrial processes (SHIP) and solar cooling systems in recent times. Thus, an attempt to present a review of the available literature on overall energy intensiveness, process temperature levels, solar technology match, and solar thermal system performance and cost have been made in this paper. The review also includes identifying the potential and relevance of involving solar thermal for industrial heating and cooling demand. As a result, at least 624 SHIP including promising large-scale plants and 1350 solar cooling systems most of them in small and medium capacities in operation are identified. Though limited data is available for solar cooling potential and installation, investigations projected the global SHIP potential to 5.6 EJ for 2050. Consequently, given the presence of many low and medium temperature heating processes and cooling capacities in industries with immense solar energy potential, developing counties such as Ethiopia can take experience and pay attention to the development of sustainable industrial systems.

scholarly journals Design Calculation of Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal System and Three-phaseTurbo Alternator

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 939
Author(s):  
Theingi Htun ◽  
Myo Thet Tun
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Heat Transfer Fluid ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Design Calculation ◽  
Useful Heat Gain ◽  
And Performance

Solar energy can be converted into thermal energy with the help of solar<br />collectors. Electricity can be produced directly from solar energy using<br />photovoltaic devices or indirectly from steam generators using solar thermal collectors to heat a working fluid. This research is using the conversion of solar energy into electricity in a closed cycle driven by natural convection. It would mean that electricity is cheaper than from any other renewable technology and cheaper than from fossil fuels. This paper describes converting thermal energy collected by solar collector to electricity by using turbine. Anywhere in Myanmar will cheaply use electricity by using solar turbine generator. Remote areas will improve more and more when getting the efficient electricity. The design calculation and performance predication of 1 MVA turbo-alternator/generator are also mentioned. Design calculation of absorbed flux, useful heat gain and exit temperature is described. And then development of two-tank thermal storage system that uses molten salt as the heat transfer fluid is described.

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