International Journal of Recent Research and Review, Vol.

IV, December 2012

ISSN 2277 8322

Design and Characterizations of Solar Steam Engine

Fareed . M. Mohamed, Auatf.S.Jassim, Yaseen. H. Mahmood, Mohamad A.K.Ahmed
Department of Physics, College of Education, Tikrit University, Iraq
Email: [email protected]

Abstract- In this paper a conceptual design of solar parabolic trough systems such as Solel [5], Schott
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steam dish concentrated ( 2 m ) area was used .With [6], Acciona [7] Euro Trough [8] and Archimed
cylindrical receiver as a solar boiler and two axis Solar Energy [9]. Just to mention some of them,
tracking system .the experimental were conductance
manufacturers offers various kinds of collectors,
from 80-150 C under a mean solar flux of (250 -780
with different performances and temperature
W/m2) concentration product analysis of this
operation ranges. Thermal power plan costs are still
innovative solar boiler applied drive to steam engine.
high and mainly related to the solar field. In recent
We have found that overall efficiency of the
conversion from direct solar irradiation energy to years, the idea of analyzing a fuel cell based
above 20%. energy conversion system by mean of an energy
analysis has become popular[10-12].In particular
Keywords- Solar energy, solar dish, electrical when dealing with solar powered fuel cell system
generation, steam engine, solar steam generator, ,an energetic analysis simply based on the first law
Characteristic curve of thermodynamics neglects a major point :a fair
I. INTRODUCTION comparison and evaluation is needed for different
qualities of energy namely solar irradiance
The rapid growth and change in the energy
,chemical energy stored in fuels ,heat and finally
utilization sector with its related impact on
electrical energy[13-15]. These different forms of
environmental awareness have lead to more interest
energy provide different availabilities to be
in the utilization of renewable energies cooling
converted to useful work. The solar driven steam jet
techniques in the last years with a focus on solar
ejector chiller (SJEC) is a new device for solar air-
energy. In 2006 presented the most recent over
conditioning [16]. The purpose of this work is to
view of possible technologies for solar powered
analyze and optimize a small, portable solar steam
refrigeration and airconditioning systems [1].
engine as well as the influence of the intensity of
Throughout the literature, studies with water as
solar radiation.
working refrigerant in solar driven were reported
A. Theory concepts
[2-3]. In 2008, optical and thermal losses occurring
in collector affect the performance of focusing type The basic principle adopted in the construction of
collector [4]. Today, several companies work on the parabolic dish solar steam is that when parallel

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rays of light from the sun close to and parallel to collector aperture area represents the maximum
the principal axis are incident on a concave or amount of solar energy that could be captured by
parabolic shaped mirror, they converge or come that collector to a heat transfer fluid passing
together after reflection to a point (F) on the through the receiver or absorber [17].
principal axis called the principal focus as shown in
(2)
Figure 1.
Where, is mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid
(kg/s)
cp - specific heat of heat transfer fluid (J/kg.K)
Tout - temperature of heat transfer fluid leaving the
absorber (K)
Tin - temperature of heat transfer fluid entering the
Fig. 1 Parabolic Dish, where F represents Principal
absorber (K)
Focus, C is Centre of Curvature, and w is Aperture is the
These losses are shown schematically in Figure 2.
width of the pole (p).

B. Collector Efficiency

The solar energy collection efficiency (col) of both

thermal collectors and photovoltaic collectors is
defined as the ratio of the rate of useful thermal
energy leaving the collector, to the useable solar
irradiance falling on the aperture area. Simply
stated, collector efficiency is: Fig. 2 Energy balance on a solar collector absorber /
receiver
(1)
An energy balance of a photovoltaic cell
where is the rate of (useful) energy output incorporated within a panel can be written as:
(w) (3)
(W)
Aa = aperture area of the collector (m2) where i - electrical current through the cell (amps)
Ia = solar irradiance falling on collector aperture v - voltage across the cell (volts)
(W/m2) C. Convection
This general definition of collector efficiency
Convection transfers energy from the absorber
differs depending on the type of collector. The rate
surface directly to the air in contact with it. When
of useful energy output from thermal collectors is
the air is stationary it is referred to as natural
the heat addition to a heat transfer fluid as defined
convection and when it is in motion it is referred to
by equation (3) whereas the useful energy output of
as forced convection. Equation (4) gives the heat
a photovoltaic collector is electrical power defined
loss due to natural convection for a cavity [18]
in equation (5). The incoming solar irradiance
(4)
falling on the collector aperture Ia multiplied by the

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 (5) modeling the cover as a Inclined at plate. Using
equation(9) gives the Nusselt number for an
inclined at plate, which can be used with
equation(4) to calculate convective losses compares
(6)
the energy loss for an open and covered cavity.
In this equation:
(7) (9)
where
- (8)
(10)
All properties are evaluated at a reference
temperature Te, except for which is evaluated at T
(11)

(12)

II. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

A. Solar Collector
Gr = Grashoff number
The primary power source for the acquisition

L= Characteristic length of aperture opening system is a solar collector subsystem that converts

(diameter) directive irradiation from the sun into steam. This

subsystem is presented in Figure 1. The subsystem
consists of one solar concentrator units mounted on
a concrete base [19], with associated feed water.
Water from the high pressure feed water tank is
g= Gravity
forced by pump into carbon steel steam pipes on the
solar concentrator units via steam hoses. As the
At a tilt angle of
= 90 (vertical), the air inside a
solar collector units track the sun via a two degree-
cavity becomes trapped. The hot buoyant air inside
of-freedom (DOF) azimuth and zenith hinge
the cavity cannot escape and convection losses are
system,-sunlight striking the parabolic mirrors dish
nearly eliminated. As the tilt angle decreases
with solar boilers at the focal length, which have a
(
< 90) a dramatic increase in heat loss occurs as
black coating. Much of the reflected irradiation
the lighter air begins escaping from the cavity. In
incident on the focus is conducted through the
this case buoyancy works to aid in heat loss. To
surface of the pipes it connect with storage tanked.
reduce convective losses a translucent cover can be
This steam bubbles back through the insulated
placed over the aperture. A cover allows the
steam hoses and through the high pressure
insulation to transmit through the material while
feedwater tank to the steam engine, bypassing the
trapping gas inside. Convection would still occur at
biomass boiler in the process.
the surface of the cover, but it would be reduced
due to the reduction in exposed surface area.
Convective loss can be calculated in this case by

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B. Boiler momentum that is required to alternate between
expansion and compression cycles in the cylinder.
The boiler subsystem is used to convert the
The camshaft is a rotating shaft that controls when
chemical energy of a burning by solar radiation into
valves open and close, through mechanical linkage
heat energy that can be utilized to transform water
that is driven off the crankshaft. Accurate valve
into steam. Figure 2 illustrates the chosen
timing is essential for controlling the length of
cylindrical -type boiler design. Water is injected
engine cycles and ensuring proper operation of the
into the boiler by removing the safety valve and
steam engine. A gear coupling and universal joint
pouring the water in manually, until approximately
will be used to transmit the torque off the
half of the cylinder tank is full. This removes any
crankshaft, to the drive shaft connected to the water
requirement for a water injector, and simplifies the
pump; the two shafts will be perpendicular to one
overall design. The brick housing supports the
another. The rotating drive shaft will in turn cause
cylindrical boiler and can easily be built on site.
the impellers of the pump to rotate and drive water
Combustion of biomass occurs inside the furnace,
up the well to the required head.
which heats up the bottom surface of the cylinder
causing the water inside to boil. Finally, a sight
glass will be included to observe the water level
inside the cylinder. The high temperature/high
pressure steam produced inside the boiler will then
be carried from the outlet to the steam engine via
steam pipes with a black surface coating. The boiler
Fig.3 Steam Engine
will only be used at night, or on cloudy days when
there is not enough solar energy available to run the D. Storage tank
steam engine. Choosing the metal of inner and outer storage tank
C. Steam engine is made of 2.5mm thickness of carbon steel. This
material offers enough toughness and resists
The mini steam engine shown in Figure 3 will be
corrosion and intense light. This tank shape is made
used to convert the energy in the steam to
of stainless steel cylinder with dimension of
mechanical motion that is required to run the pump.
50cm*30cm*30cm. In order to transfer the heat
A detailed explanation of engine cycles can be
fluid from /or to storage tank by tubes, two input
found in reference [2]. The steam enters the
valves was chosen and also two output valves the
cylinder at a high temperature and pressure and
first (input/output valves) are connected between
causes the internal piston to reciprocate back and
receiver and storage tank ,the second (input/output
forth, which drives the connecting rod. The
valves) are connect between storage tank and load
connecting rod connects the piston to the
by flexible hose.
crankshaft. The crankshaft transfers its rotational
energy to the flywheel, which is essentially a E. System Connected Method
rotating mass with a large moment of inertia. The The parabolic dish solar steam generator considered
flywheel stores energy and provides the angular in this paper is connected with another part as

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shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 4 Components of Solar Steam System Fig. 5 Variation of instantaneous efficiency with temp

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS for collector

Figure 6 shows the instantaneous ratio of Qloss with
As any solar driven system, the system performance
respect to the Quseful. It is about 10%. This refers to
is mainly a function of solar energy collector
weakness in insulator technique. By measuring the
subsystem efficiency, and the system coefficient of
degradation in temperature of storage tank for 24
performance. For the solar energy subsystem,
hours as follow ,water is pre-heated to average
shown in Figure 4, which consists of the solar
temperature of 80 C by using solar heating system,
collector, the steam drum and pump, the solar
and this water moved from solar heating system to
radiation energy is absorbed and converted into
the storage tank at temperature 80C the start of
heat that is transferred to the water which flows into
the test.
the steam drum which is serving as heat energy
buffer plus motive steam engine.
Table I
Characteristics of the Solar Dish Concentrator
Diameter of the parabola 1.6 m
Surface collecting of the parabola 2.0 m2
Focal distance f 0.84 m
Depth of the parabola 0.18

Fig. 6 Relation between solar radiation and heat loss

A. Efficiency of collector
from tank with time
Figures (5) show the variation of instantaneous
B. Steady State Thermal Testing
efficiency with operating temperature (Tmr-Ta) for
a receiver [20]. It is clear that the system efficiency Test were performed to determined total conversion

is decreased with receiver temperature because that efficiency .In these test, water inlet, the water at

the radiated losing energy is proportional to fourth (20 C) was heated by the receiver to temperature

Power of receiver temperature as mentioned before. under (145C). The working inlet flow was not

Also, the results indicate that the cylindrical flashing [21] that allowed accurate collected energy

receiver is more efficient. measurement. Results from steady state thermal

conversion test are shown in Figure 7 outlet water
temperature and insulation during each test. It is

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observed the increasing of the outlet temperature C. Thermodynamic analysis and efficiency
with increasing of solar radiation between 11:00 am calculations
to 12:15 pm otherwise increasing the pressure in
It was determined that the boiler would operate at a
final tank to work the steam engine. Figures (8,9)
pressure of (2.7 bar) to (15 bar). Referring to steam
shows increased (rpm) with increasing temperature
tables, it is found that the boiling point of water at
and pressure.
such a pressure is approximate (80C-130), with an
enthalpy of evaporation of 2720.8(kJ/kg).
Assuming negligible heat loss inside the steam
pipes between the boiler and steam engine (by
minimizing pipe length and convective losses), this
value also represents the steam temperature at the
engine inlet. As the steam expands inside the
cylinder, which results in a temperature drop at the
outlet that is proportional to the efficiency of the
engine. To avoid further system complexity and
Fig.7 Relation between solar radiation and temperature
unnecessary capital costs for a simple water
with time for solar system
pumping system, a condenser was not included in
the design. Accordingly, a value of (55 C) is
chosen as a reasonable approximation for the outlet
steam temperature of the engine. Knowing that a
steam engine operates on a Rankine cycle, the
expected Carnot efficiency of the engine is
calculated from Equation (13)

(13)

Fig. 8 Relation between solar radiation and rpm with =(403 323 )/401 100%=19.8519%
temperature for solar system where Tin is the inlet temperature and Tout is the
outlet temperature. A value of (19.85 %) is
obtained, which is to be expected from a small
steam engine that lacks a condenser. Moreover,
small scale steam engines of this type typically lack
extensive regenerators and re-heaters, and as a
result, typically have low isentropic efficiencies of
approximately (50%). The isentropic efficiency
involves a comparison between actual performance
of a device, and the performance that would be
Fig.9 Relation of rpm and pressure with temperature for
achieved under ideal circumstances, for the same
solar system
inlet state and exit pressure [22]. The overall engine

6
efficiency is then, [8] M.Geyer, Osuna, EuroTrough Parabolic Trough
Collector Developed for Cost Efficient Solar
= = 0.1890.5 100 %=9.5 %
Power Generation. Zurich (CH): 11th Int.
Symposium on Concentrating Solar Power and
IV. CONCLUSIONS
Chemical Energy Technologies; September 4-6,
2002.
The design of a mini solar steam engine has been
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