04-10-2012, 03:46 PM
Concentrated solar power
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Concentrated solar power CPA are systems are the one which use mirror and lens to convert the large area of sunlight or solar thermal energy into a smaller area or beam. This beam of light is then converted into the heat energy. This heat energy drive the heat engine which is further connected to the power generator.
Concentrated solar power can be used to power the village having the consumption of 100 KW. But the grid connected application can delver power up to 100MW. Commonly when concentrated solar power system is set up they also set the thermal power storage to store enough amount of energy for night or for cloudy weather. But in many cases concentrated solar power are connected with other power sources such natural gas. Focusing on the efficency and environmental friendliness of the solar power the developing countries are giving great attention on the concentrated solar power. The conversion of solar energy in to the solar power is very suitable for the countries of Sunbelt of the wold or countries near the equator line.
Totally four type of concentrated solar power technology are promoted internationally. Which of which are different in function and in design too. The amount of energy gain from the concentrated solar power greatly depends on the amount of heat. Thats why countries on the equator are the best places for concentrated solar power. Following four are the concentrated solar power technologies using currently
1- Parabolic trough
2- Fresnel lens
3- Dish stirling
4 Solar power tower
Parabolic trough Systems:
Parabolic trough systems consists of a parabolic reflectors which reflects the sunlight in such a way that it is focused at a narrow point. Usually this narrow point is focused on the pipe which is running along the inner side of the parabolic reflectors. This pipe usually contain working liquid or oil to transfer the heat. The liquid is heated 150–350 °C to transfer the enough heat to the conventional steam engine.
The shape of the reflector is designed in such a way that the large area of the sunlight stay focused at the narrow point (on the pipe) whether the is on the east or on the west. Continuous supply of direct sunlight is ensured by parabolic reflectors.
Thermal storage are installed with are parabolic trough. These thermal storage are used to get heat energy to generate electricity in the evening. Parabolic trough of present age use other fuel to get heat energy i.e. natural gas only when there is no or low sunlight. They are usually called hybrid parabolic trough system.
Trough system is most developed and efficient concentrated solar power system. The famous and symbol of efficiency of today using concentrated solar power are, The Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) plants in California, Acciona's Nevada Solar One near Boulder City, Nevada, and Plataforma Solar de Almería's SSPS-DCS plant in Spain.
Fresnel Lens:
Fresnel lens are used by concentrated solar power which use large number of thin mirror strips. In fresnel lens small mirror strips are used instead of any other type of reflectors i.e. parabolic reflectors in parabolic trough. In fresnel lens the mirrors are set to such an angel that the large area of sunlight is reduced to smaller area. The main advantage of fresnel lens is that it use flat strips of mirror instead of any other shape of reflectors. Flat mirror strips are cheap and easily available in the market. The other advantage fresnel lens is that we can place large number of mirror strips in smaller area and hence we can able to reduce the larger area of sunlight which is not possible in any other shaped mirrors.
Parabolic dish system or dish sterling:
Parabolic dish system or dish sterling consists of a stand alone parabolic shaped dish which focuses the sunlight or solar radiation at the centre of the parabolic dish where the receiver is mounted. The receiver is mounted at the focal point of the dish or get maximum amount of the heat energy continuously. The working liquid is heated at the 250-700 °C. The moveable base can move the parabolic dish or reflector with the movement of the sun. In this way parabolic dish keeps itself in best direction to get maximum amount sunlight. The collected heat is typically utilized directly by a heat engine mounted on the receiver moving with the dish structure. Stirling and Brayton engine are commonly used with this type of assembly. Parabolic dish system or dish sterling provide best solar to electric efficiency in the concentrated solar power.
Solar Power Towers:
The solar power tower system is used to to convert the sunlight or light energy into the heat energy. The solar power tower system consists of solar power tower and large number of sun-tracking mirrors aka heliostats. Sun-tracking mirrors or heliostat in the solar power tower system is used to reflect the sunlight to the receiver of the solar power tower. The Receiver is located at the top of the solar tower so that sunlight from every mirror can easily reach. The working fluid in the solar power tower system heat at 500–1000 °C which then transfers the heat energy to boils the water. In this process steam is generated and this is used to drive the turbine, conventional turbine-generator is used to produce electricity.
In the modern solar power tower molten nitrate salt is used to transfer the heat. It is excellent heat transfer and energy storage capabilities. But some European countries are using air as a working fluid due to the easy handling and of high temperature.
Solar power tower used commercially to produce electricity from 50-200 MW depending on the size and the amount of heat energy get from the sunlight.
[attachment=35288]
Concentrated solar power CPA are systems are the one which use mirror and lens to convert the large area of sunlight or solar thermal energy into a smaller area or beam. This beam of light is then converted into the heat energy. This heat energy drive the heat engine which is further connected to the power generator.
Concentrated solar power can be used to power the village having the consumption of 100 KW. But the grid connected application can delver power up to 100MW. Commonly when concentrated solar power system is set up they also set the thermal power storage to store enough amount of energy for night or for cloudy weather. But in many cases concentrated solar power are connected with other power sources such natural gas. Focusing on the efficency and environmental friendliness of the solar power the developing countries are giving great attention on the concentrated solar power. The conversion of solar energy in to the solar power is very suitable for the countries of Sunbelt of the wold or countries near the equator line.
Totally four type of concentrated solar power technology are promoted internationally. Which of which are different in function and in design too. The amount of energy gain from the concentrated solar power greatly depends on the amount of heat. Thats why countries on the equator are the best places for concentrated solar power. Following four are the concentrated solar power technologies using currently
1- Parabolic trough
2- Fresnel lens
3- Dish stirling
4 Solar power tower
Parabolic trough Systems:
Parabolic trough systems consists of a parabolic reflectors which reflects the sunlight in such a way that it is focused at a narrow point. Usually this narrow point is focused on the pipe which is running along the inner side of the parabolic reflectors. This pipe usually contain working liquid or oil to transfer the heat. The liquid is heated 150–350 °C to transfer the enough heat to the conventional steam engine.
The shape of the reflector is designed in such a way that the large area of the sunlight stay focused at the narrow point (on the pipe) whether the is on the east or on the west. Continuous supply of direct sunlight is ensured by parabolic reflectors.
Thermal storage are installed with are parabolic trough. These thermal storage are used to get heat energy to generate electricity in the evening. Parabolic trough of present age use other fuel to get heat energy i.e. natural gas only when there is no or low sunlight. They are usually called hybrid parabolic trough system.
Trough system is most developed and efficient concentrated solar power system. The famous and symbol of efficiency of today using concentrated solar power are, The Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) plants in California, Acciona's Nevada Solar One near Boulder City, Nevada, and Plataforma Solar de Almería's SSPS-DCS plant in Spain.
Fresnel Lens:
Fresnel lens are used by concentrated solar power which use large number of thin mirror strips. In fresnel lens small mirror strips are used instead of any other type of reflectors i.e. parabolic reflectors in parabolic trough. In fresnel lens the mirrors are set to such an angel that the large area of sunlight is reduced to smaller area. The main advantage of fresnel lens is that it use flat strips of mirror instead of any other shape of reflectors. Flat mirror strips are cheap and easily available in the market. The other advantage fresnel lens is that we can place large number of mirror strips in smaller area and hence we can able to reduce the larger area of sunlight which is not possible in any other shaped mirrors.
Parabolic dish system or dish sterling:
Parabolic dish system or dish sterling consists of a stand alone parabolic shaped dish which focuses the sunlight or solar radiation at the centre of the parabolic dish where the receiver is mounted. The receiver is mounted at the focal point of the dish or get maximum amount of the heat energy continuously. The working liquid is heated at the 250-700 °C. The moveable base can move the parabolic dish or reflector with the movement of the sun. In this way parabolic dish keeps itself in best direction to get maximum amount sunlight. The collected heat is typically utilized directly by a heat engine mounted on the receiver moving with the dish structure. Stirling and Brayton engine are commonly used with this type of assembly. Parabolic dish system or dish sterling provide best solar to electric efficiency in the concentrated solar power.
Solar Power Towers:
The solar power tower system is used to to convert the sunlight or light energy into the heat energy. The solar power tower system consists of solar power tower and large number of sun-tracking mirrors aka heliostats. Sun-tracking mirrors or heliostat in the solar power tower system is used to reflect the sunlight to the receiver of the solar power tower. The Receiver is located at the top of the solar tower so that sunlight from every mirror can easily reach. The working fluid in the solar power tower system heat at 500–1000 °C which then transfers the heat energy to boils the water. In this process steam is generated and this is used to drive the turbine, conventional turbine-generator is used to produce electricity.
In the modern solar power tower molten nitrate salt is used to transfer the heat. It is excellent heat transfer and energy storage capabilities. But some European countries are using air as a working fluid due to the easy handling and of high temperature.
Solar power tower used commercially to produce electricity from 50-200 MW depending on the size and the amount of heat energy get from the sunlight.