Power Plant Engineering

Renewable Energy
Power
fnom
4:89
through collector can be varicd over a wide
and concentrating collector is range. The length of a reflcctor unit
4.88
flat plate
collcctor
coming
from a specific that the of
parabolic

3
roughly
mto 5 mand
the width about 1.5 mto 2 4 m Ten or
more such units are
The main
difference

collector
between

concentrates
only the
direct
directions
radiation

and onlya
very diir ection
small proportion is from
be
oflenconnected end to end in arow. Several rows may also be connected in parallel.
may

arrives from
all concentrating collcctor
flat plate
since the
diffuse
rmdiation
focusing
occurs
whercas the
collects al
which the
dircction for
the
type o f radiation.

collectors
con centrating tracking system is
4.5.4.1. Typcs of
whether
of
may be
classified on the basis installed
Solar
concentrators
installed.
RFocus
System
of tracking
or not and type or Intermittent
Tracking type: Continuous
(a)
(i) Onc-axis design Vertex Parabolic
(ü) Two-axis design reflector

(b) Non-tracking typc

component (a)
the basis of optical
also be classified on
Solar concentrators may Focal líne
refracting type collector
Reflecting or
(a) Oblique ray
non-imaging type collector
(b) Imaging or
Solar rays
(c) Line focusing or point focusing type collector
the solar concentrators mav
Based on the number of concentrating collector geometrics, Glass envelop
be classificd. (Reflcctor tube)

(a) Parabolic trough collector Collecting pipc

(Absorbcr tube)
(b) Minor strip reflector
(c) Fresnel lens collector
Mirror
(d) Flat plate collcctor with adjustable mirrors
(e) Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC).
(6)
4.5.4.2. Parabolic Trough Collector
Figure 4.44 Cross-section of parabolic trough collector
It is the most preferable type ofa concentrating collector. The cross section of parabolie
collector is shown in Figure 4.44(a). The solar radiation coming from the particular dircolou A parabolic trough collector with line focusing reflecting surtace provides the
is collected over the arca of the reflecting surface and cocentrated at the 10cus Ol concentration ratio from Sto 30. Hence, higher temperature up to 300°C can be achieved.
parabola. The solar radiation is focused along a line. It consists of a cylindrical parabo Parabolic through reflectors have been made of highly polished aluminium of silvered glass
relloctor and a metal tube recceiver at a focal plane as shown in Figure of a thin film of aluminized plastio on a firm base. The reflected light is focused on a
4.44(b). The dmoa
 Power Plant Engineering ReneWable
Energy
f r o m

4.94

Solradriation
P o w e r

The tube located along the centre

|490
parabolic
trough
collector.
the pipe. The absorber
ine
tube may beabsota
central line of the through Recicver Concentrator
work1ng fluid
is circulated may be oriented in made
parabolic trough any of
the heat and the
steel/coppcr.
cylindrical
A three
of mild North-South
or polar.
Trough
directions:
type collectors are generally oriented in the east-west or north-south
East-WWest, directions,

to be collccted
orientation
permits more
solar energy than cast-wes
south
The north
arrangenent.
Supporting
sland
Collector
Paraboloidal Dish
4.5.4.3.
solar radia ion focus at a point actually asmall
to a
paraboloidal dish
collector brings
A A dish6.6 m diameter, as shown
shown in Figure 4.45a). in Figure
central volume as curved mirror segments forming a
from about 200 paraboloidal (b)
4.45(b), has been made
surface. The absorber
black chrome
located at the focus is a
cavity made of.
zirconium-copper alloy with a
selective coating. The heat-transport fluid flows into and out of the absorber Figure 4.45 Puraboloidal dislh collector

dish can be turned automaticallu ot

cavity through pipes bonded to the interior. The A.5.4.4. Mirror Strip
Rcflector
kept in a line with the focus and the base of the not
axes so that the sun is always Ta shis collector, a nunber of plane or slightly curved (concave) mirror strips are
essentially all times.
dish. Thus, the can be fully tracked at
mounted on a flat base. The angle of the individual mirrors is arranged in such a wvay that
they reflect solar radiation from a specific direction on to the same focal line as shown in
Figure 4.46. The angle of the mirrors must be adjusted to allow the change in the sun's
Focal volume
elevation while the focal line remains in a fixed position.

Sun rays
Sun rays

Focus

(a)
Mirror
strips

Figure 4.46 Mirror strip solar collector

4.92 Power Plant Engingerng
4.54.5. Fresnel Lens Collector Renewable Energy
of
shown in Figure 447. To be fully effective, the Fresnel lens must be
When a
number

collectors are
cornbined in tro or 4.93
with the sun ín two directions both along and perpendicular to its
length.continuously
In
collector, the solar radiation ís focused into the absorber from the top rather the
more rows, the
roWS ust be set

as in a parabolic type. For a trough type collector, the lens is han Fresndl
rectangle
about 41
from b
length and 0.95 min width. It is made of acrylíc plastic and it can be
quantity at low cost probably povm'inov
Solar radieton Incient tays
Reflector
Mirror

Fresie Flat plate

iens
Reflector
collector Mirror
Figure 4.48 Flat plate
collector arrangement with mirrors
The efficiency of a boosted ilat plate systen
Cortzr can be increased if the
RsVe pips sáTOTS Can be changed several tines during the ange of the fat
(Line focus) ycar. The sdvartzge of such a
aes use of the diffuse radiatíon in addition systen is that
to the bearm radiation.
Figre 447 Crosssecion of Presnel lens through collector
(541, Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC)
4.5AM. Fat Plzte Colledr with Ponter Mirrors tis a non-focusing type but the solar
radíation from many directions is reflected towards
te botorn of the trough. Due to thís characteristic, a
his the simplet type f unenarding collector, It large proportion of the solar radiation
consists of a flat plate facing vot rovding diffuse (scattered) radíation entering the trough
withmirrIs he o its mth ard sosth edges shown in Fígure opening is collected on a snall
tal raditsn in sddtin to bezn radiation
448, Refledors es 22.ACPC with two facing parabolic mirrOrs are shown in Figure 4,49.
incidence on the receiver, Mirrors are also d
booster mirrors. t has a mazimum unetratýon vale Jess
than four. The concentrtin T¾N
d uh lar unntrasss is reldively ow and
hence, it is noA widely ued. As the sia
ittidese aje ineseases, he mirrors becoHe les effeaive. For a single
márras can be ued n all the four sides, collecor, bosu
Paratcla

If the rirrs are t aa the proper angle, they reflect the solar
plase. The rirras t off part of the catered radiation
radiatíon onto the abun
haye reached the absorber paiz
mya part of thewatesed radiatín fallíng on mirrors will be reflected
onto the absorte. Absorber As

Flgure 4.49 Compound parabolicconcentrator

 Power Plant Engineerin from
k e n e w a b l e

Energy
Powerr 495
radiations.
an advantage of Thermal Power Generation
4 94
both direct
and
diffuse
less than a focusing
this cole 4.5.5.
Solar

nower generation employs

although

collectorin an
collecting therimal
addition to concentration
Solar power cycles which are broadly classífied as
In moderately
good tracking.
provides for sun
is that it without
adjustment f o l l o w s .

east-west
direction
temperature cycles
Concentrating Collectors ) Low
of over Flat-Plate cycles
Medium temperature
Disadvantages

Advantages
and (2)
4.5.4.3.
Type Collectors temperature cycles.
type collectore.
(3) High
collectors over flat-plate
Advantages of
concentrating temperature
cycles generally use flat-plate
concentrating
collector requires less LOw
collectors so that maximumn
The reflecting surface
of the mnaterial and temperatures a r e l i m i t e d to about 100°C.
Medium temperature cycles work at maxímum
1. flat-plate collectors. from 150 to
structurally simpler than 300°C while high temperature
ranging
flat-nlate cycles work at temperatures
is Smaller than a
temperature

The absorber area of aconcentrator system above300°C.

2 surroundings is less than
the heat is lost to flat-plate collectors. low and medium temperature ranges, the
The area from which
3.
electric power
generation. thermodynamic cycle preferred is
Rankine
4. It can be used for For high temperature range apart from Rankine cycle, Brayton and Stirling
per year is large tor a concentrator
sVstem +t cycle.
cycles are
5. The total useful operating time
also beingg c o n s i d e r e d ,

plate collector.

of the collector is less. cE Power Generation Using Flat Plate Collector

6. Initial installation cost
per unit volume is larger.
7. The amount of heat which can be stored The flat plate collector system and solar pond are classified as low
temperature
8. Heat storage costs are less for concentration systems than flat-plate collectors llectors because of its temperature range in the order of 60 to 100°C with collection
9. Higher temperature of the working fluid is attained with a concentrating system effciency of 30 to 50% maximum. In this system, it is not suitable to employ Rankine cycle
solar themal power production system because the generation of steam
10. No anti-freeze is required to protect the absorber in a concentrator system. using flat plate
collector or solar pond is not possible as the boiling temperature of the water is more than
Disadvantages of concentrating collectors over flat-plate type collectors: 100°C and so, it cannot be used directly to run the prime mover. Therefore, some
other
1. In concentrating collectors, only the beam component is collected because the diffuse organic fluid (commonly Freon group) is used which evaporates at low temperature and high
component cannot reflect. pressure by absorbing the heat fromn the heated water. The vapour formed can be used to run a
2. Costly orienting systems must be used to track the sun. turbine or engine which may generate power which will be sufficient to light the group
of
houses for rural areas and for irrigation purposes.
3. Additional maintenance is required to retain the quality of reflecting surface against
dirt, weather and oxidation. A low temperature solar engine using heated water from flat-plate solar collector and
4. It is non-uniform flux on the absorber whereas the flux in flat-plate colleouio Dutane as the working fluid is shown in Figure 4.50. The system has aray of flat-plate
uniform. Oliectors to heat water up to nearly 70°C. In the heat exchanger, the heat of water is
5. Optical losses and interrupt loss are in Masterred to butane for boiling it, The high pressure butane vapour runs a butane turbine
energý balance.
noperates an electric generator. This generator produces electrical power output for
further use. The exhaust butane vapour from butane turbine is condensed in acondenser with
the help of fresh
cold water circulated by a water pump. This condensate is fed to the heat
4.96 power Plant Engingery
Power from Penewablg
exchanger or butane boiler. The system is applicd for small power plants of Engrgy
capacity. It has the advantage of simplicity. about 19
ji.
Organic-Rankine cycle engine
Stirling cycle engine 4.97
Water circuit

Butane boiler
iv.
Air-Brayton cycle engine.
In each of the
Butane turbine cycles, hot yas Gr
produce work and it
Butane
thereby oled. Thevaprarzs is erandes throsgh
is
is finally returmed to its
Array of solar pump
Generator completing the cycle. As
initial stte fos r vaor is furher an engine or turbine to
collectors
noted earler, geting cocled to rejet heat and it
ererised by solar radiation and thus,
for thermal power plants of disributed sslar
moderately snall caçacity. enerEI Collectors may be preferred
In a dístributed collector
Condenser systern, the solar
number of sun-tracking solar parabolic therTnal energy is
collectors. Each collector transfers heat trough type or paraboloidalcollected from a larze
to a dish type cylíindrical
from the collectorsheat-ransport
Cooling water out available at high temperature
Cooling fluid. Thís heat transport fluid
for irrigation The heat transfer Sis pooled at some
water in
purposes fluid could be central power station.
could be some thermo- water/steam
-chemical storage medíum to be used
directty ín
Figure 4.50 Low temperature flat-plate solar collector scheme is that the thermal such as ammonia. a stean turbine or it
energy is stored as chemical energy The advantage of alate
beat is lost in its at ambient temperature and
4.5.7. Power Generation Using Solar Distributed Collector transmission over a long distance or in storing it no
Medium temperature thermal power generation
power gerneration, overmight for continuous
collectors in which parabolic trough concentrator systems employ solar distribnte Hot oil
collectors with line focuS are mo4
commony used for converting the solar energy into heat Hot steam
energy. These systems can also 1s Parabolictrough Steam
paraboloid dish type concentrating collectors. Cylindrical ting
aray
turbine
generate temperature in range of 250 to 700°C with parabolic concentrating collectors Generator
efficiency of 50-70%. High temperature nttatir
collectors such as paraboloid type concentrators ncen
consist of many flat mirrors produce a Steam
temperature in range of 600-2000°C with an efficiency of Heat
60-75%. exchanger condenser
Cooling water outlet
This is modular system consisting of a dish shaped
solar radiation on a receiver to heat a parabolic collector for focusing the Cooling water inlet
working fluid coupled with a power generation unt Pump
(engine/alternator) for electricity generation. It may also be used for
When these modular systems are coupled producing process heal.
power as a decentralised power
together they are in a position to supply requred Cold oil Cold
steam
Condensate
system. pump

Following types of heat engines are commonly Figure 4.51Distributed collector solar thermal power plant
systems. being used with parabolic disTou
i
Asimple parabolic cylindrical concentrator solar power generation system using water as
Rankine cycle engine Working fluid is shown in Figure 4.51. It consists of a parabolic cy linder reflector to
concentrate sun light on to acollecting pipe within Pyrex or glass envelop.
 Power Plant Engineering Power
from
Renewable Energy (4.99

the
that
maximum
sunlight is focused Black body Insulation
498
arrangement is made so operate in the lower on the cavity
Spherical central
usually
than tthe
emperature
sun-tracking

Proper efficiency. They recerver unit for

optimum having boiling point higher steam generation
system, oil

collector.boiling
producing
reflector for 315°C. In this tube offthe concentrator
about 90 to absorber
ranges of through the solarbeam radiation
circulate
water is used to where the heat is Salar beam radaton
point of
oil is then
passed through
the heat
exchanger

be directlv used to power a

transferred to Pofected

gcle0
rays

Doflect lectd ra
The heated
The hot
steam can
then
turbine for
the water to
produce steam.
to an electric
generator to generate
electricity. The exhaust roys
coupled Compressor
which is condensed in a condenser with the
mechanical work
the turbine is
help offresh Electric power
steam from is fed to the heat exchanger again
low
temperature

cold water
circulated by

using condensate pump.

a water pump.
This condensate
arenymsig output

Receiver Systen
Generation Using Central Alternator
4.5.8. Power
power plant in the range of 50 MI to 200M on
A larger solar thermal Individually controlled
are economical in MW range for nehe Indivídually controlled sink
-Recuperator
Central Receiver Schemes (CRS). Such systems
sun-tracking heliostates
sun-tracking heliostates

high capacity is possible due to high temperature steam in ho

connected plants. The helioct
receiver results high efficiency of plants. In
the central receiver scheme, several Figure 4.52Solar central receiver power generation system
nearly flat mirror with the provision to trost,a
located on the groundlevel. A heliostat is a through an
pointed towards a central receiver mounted on o In the cavity receiver type, the solar radiation reflected by heliostats enters
sun in two planes. The reflected rays are surfaces are on the exterior of a
built up with modular aperture at the bottom of the cavity whereas the absorber
tower as shown in Figure 4.52. A large central receiver plant is usually 4.53 shows the cavity
2 modules to 10 modules and rated at 10MW to 100MW roughly cylindrical structure in the external receiver type. Figure
concept. Each plant may have
receiver type central receiver.
4.5.8.1. Components of Central Receiver System 2. Heat conversion sub systen:
This system can be subdivided into the following subsystems. They are as follows. energy is absorbed by the
Liquid water under pressure enters the receiver. Then the heat
conditions might be a temperature of
1. The tower with the central receiver on top of it. water and it leaves as superheated steam. Typical steam
2. The heat conversion sub system. 500°C and pressure of 100 atm. The steam is piped to
a ground level where it drives a

3. The heat storage device. conventional turbine generator system.

4. The field of oriented mirrors. 3. Heat storage device:
bricks, ceramic oxides, fused salts and
Short term storage of heat can be provided by fire
1. Central receiver:
determined by its energy density,
The central receiver at the top of the tower has a heat
absorbing surface by wis Sulphur. The choice of a conventional storage material is
heat-transport fluid is heated. There are two basic receiver corrosion characteristic, cost and convenience of use as well as by the
thermal conductivity,
configurations as follows.
a) Cavity receiver type operating temperature of working fluid.
b) External receiver
type.
4.100
Power Plant Engineeringa Power from Renewable Energy

Central reciever

Solar radiation 4.101

Tower

-Heat exchanger Receiver

Heat transport Support
fluid piping Thermal insulation
& structure
Aperture fr
reflected rays
Structure

From belistats
From helistats
Heliostat

Tower
Figure 4.54 Arrangement of central
Figure 4.53 Central receiver
receiver heliostat array

4. Mirrors:
68.3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Central Receiver System
Advantages:
The flat miror surface can be manufactured by metallization of float glass or flevika
1. Very high temperature is obtained. High temperature is suitable for
plastic sheets. The miror must be steerable. The glass mirors would not be capable of electricity
generation using conventional methods such as asteam turbine.
withstanding the wind load which often occurs in arid lands without any supporting structure.
2. It provides good eficiency. By concentrating the sunlight, this system can get better
4.5.82. Working of Central Receiver System efficient than simple solar cells.
The incoming solar radiation is focused to acentral receiver ora boiler mounted on atall 3. A larger area can be covered by using relatively inexpensive mirrors rather than using
tower using thousands of plane reflectors which are steerable about two axes called expensive solar cells.
heliostats.
4. Concentrated light can be redirected to asuitable location via, optical fiber cable. For
Figure 4.54 shows a schematic view of an electric power generation using a gas turbine example, illuminating buildings similar to hybrid solar lighting.
or gas turbine power plant working on Brayton cycle. The mirrors (heliostats) installed on the Disadvantages:
ground are oriented so as to reflect the direct beam radiation into an absorber or receiver (as
Concentrated collector systems require dual
axis sun tracking to maintain the sunlight
shown in Figure 4.53) which is mounted at the top 'of a tower located near the center in the 1.
field of mirors to produce high temperature. focus at the collector.
diffused light conditions. Solar
cells are able to provide
power in
Beam radiation incident in the boiler is absorbed by black pipes in which the workn3 Z. Inability to provide becomes a little bit cloudy
but power output from
even if the sky diffused light
fluid is circulated and heated. The working fluid is allowed to drive a turbine thereoy SOme output conditions as the
systems drop drastically in cloudy
producing mechanical energy. The turbine which is coupled to an alternator proauee concentrating
passively.
electrical energy. Suitable heat storage is also provided to supply the heat energy cannot be concentrated
durng
period of cloudiness.