Solar Energy

Deepak B & Arunkumar Harshan C S

S3 Mtech, ICTM

Introduction
Solar energy is an
important, clean, cheap and
abundantly available
renewable energy.
Originates with the
thermonuclear fusion
reactions occurring in the
sun.
Represents the entire
electromagnetic radiation
(visible light, infrared,
ultraviolet, x-rays, and
radio waves).

Terms
Solar radiation - Energy radiated by sun.
Solar irradiation - Radiated energy received on earth surface.
Solar insolation - Solar radiation received on flat horizontal
surface of earth.
Solar constant(s) Solar power received on unit area of
surface normal to suns rays in the space outside earths
atmosphere at a mean distance(1.5 x 108km) between sun and
earth. S = 1353w/m2.
Extraterrestrial solar radiation - Solar radiation incident on
outer atmosphere of earth.

Merits and limitations

Merits

Limitations

Renewable energy available

free of cost.
Available naturally in most
parts of the world.
Solar
PV
systems
are
economical and feasible for
remote standalone power
plants.
Solar thermal power plants are
feasible in deserts where other
sources of energy are not
available.

Low energy density of 0.1 to

1 kw/m2.
Direction of ray changes
continuously.
Energy not available at
nights and during clouds.
Energy storage essential.
Angle of incidence of solar
rays changes continuously
this
makes
collection
difficult.

Applications
Passive heating applications without any special device for
energy conversion, heat is received and used for heating. Eg:
heating water, cooking, drying etc. These are low temp
applications and are extremely popular.
Solar thermal energy applications of medium temperature
and high temperature Producing process heat and
producing electrical energy through solar, thermal, electrical
energy conversion in central receiver power plants.
Solar to thermal energy direct conversion by photovoltaic
cells for low and medium power rating.
Large solar central receiver thermal power plants in MW
range.

Power Tower

Power tower in Barstow, California.

Solar water heating

Direct or open loop systems circulate potable
water through the collectors. They are cheaper
than indirect systems and offer superior heat
transfer from the collectors to the storage tank,
but have many drawbacks:
They offer little or no overheat protection.
They offer little or no freeze protection.
The collectors will accumulate scale in hard
water areas.
They are often not considered suitable for cold
climates since, in the event of the collector being
damaged by a freeze, pressurized water lines will
force water to gush from the freeze-damaged
collector until the problem is noticed and
rectified.
Indirect or closed loop systems use a heat
exchanger that separates the potable water from
the fluid, known as the "heat-transfer fluid"
(HTF), that circulates through the collector. The
two most common HTFs are water and an
antifreeze/water mix that typically uses nontoxic propylene glycol. Though slightly more
expensive, indirect systems offer freeze
protection.

Direct systems: (A) Passive CHS system with tank above collector. (B) Active
system with pump and controller driven by a photovoltaic panel

Indirect active systems: (C) Indirect system with heat exchanger in tank; (D)
Drainback system with drainback reservoir. In these schematics the controller
and pump are driven by mains electricity

Solar thermal electric

conversion
Conversion of solar energy into
electric by way of thermal (heat)
energy.
Solar energy is used to heat a
working fluid, this heat energy is
then converted to mechanical
energy in a turbine and finally
into electrical energy by means of
a conventional generator coupled
to turbine - Solar thermal power
production system
Two basic arrangement are
proposed :
1. Central receiver system
2. Distributed collector system

Central receiver system

Parabolic Through

Solar photovoltaic
Direct conversion of solar energy into
electrical energy by means of
photovoltaic effect.
Photovoltaic effect is defined as
generation of an electromotive force
as a result of absorption of ionizing
radiations. Energy conversion device
used are called solar cells.
The best known application of
photovoltaic cell for electrical power
generation has been in space craft for
which silicon solar cells are used.
( efficiency 12to 15 %).

Photovoltaic shade is an autonomous and mobile

station in France that replenishes energy for electric
vehicles using solar energy.

Solar Panel
The average amount of sunlight reaching the
surface of the Earth is about 300 Watts per
square meter (about 10 sq. ft.). For
centralized collection of solar energy, large
land areas need to be covered with solar
collectors in order to gather enough sunlight
to generate a significant fraction of our
energy needs. Concentrating the sunlight
with mirrors does not increase the amount of
energy that is collected. In fact, focusing the
energy to produce higher temperatures
usually leads to more loss of energy since the
most efficient energy collection systems are
those that run at temperatures close to the
temperature of the environment around the
collector.
Because of their current costs, only rural and
other customers far away from power lines
use solar panels because it is more cost
effective than extending power lines.

Solar Cooking
In our country energy consumed for
cooking shares a major portion of the
total energy consumed in a year. Solar
cookers have a very relevant place in
present fuel consumption pattern.
Basically there are three designs of solar
cooker
1. Flat plate box type solar cooker.
2. Multi reflector type solar oven.
3. Parabolic disc concentrator type solar
cooker.
The solar rays penetrate through the glass
cover and absorbed by a blackened metal
tray kept inside solar box. Solar radiation
entering box are of short wave length.
The temperature inside solar cooker is
maintained from 70 to 110c above
ambient.

Merits
No fuel required
Negligible maintenance cost
No pollution
No problem of charring of food
Limitations
Sunshine is not available during the
entire period
It takes comparatively more time to
cook
One cannot cook at short notice.

Concentrating type cooker

Reflector type solar cooker

Space Heating
There are two primary categories into
which virtually all solar heating
systems may be divided :
1. Passive system in which solar
radiation is collected by some
element of the structure itself or
collected by large south facing
windows.
2. Active system which generally
consist of :
a) Separate solar collectors which may
heat either water or air
b) Storage
device
which
can
accumulate the collected energy for
use at night.
c) Back up system to provide heat for
bad weather conditions.

Passive System A large wall like mass which

absorbs solar radiation and stores heat is
placed directly behind large south facing
windows. Heath radiated outwards from the
wall is trapped by glass cover. The heated air
rises up and enters adjacent room through
vents at top of the wall, the air circulates
through natural convection.

 Active space heating system- In this

separate collectors are used to collect
solar radiation, transfer it to water or
air and store it in tanks. The water and
air are circulated by pumps or fans to
the interior of residence.

Schematic of basic hot water active system

Space Cooling
The two most common refrigeration
techniques vapor compression and
absorption can be adopted for use
with solar energy.
In vapor compression system solar
heated water could vaporize propane
or ammonia at moderate pressure. The
vapor could then drive a turbine
which would in turn operate a vapor
compression unit. Such a low pressure
vapor turbine would inevitably have a
lower efficiency.
Absorption cooling with solar energy
is regarded as more practical. (LiBrH2O system, NH3-H2O system)

Conclusion
Argument that sun provides power only during the day is countered
by the fact that 70% of energy demand is during daytime hours. At
night, traditional methods can be used to generate the electricity.
It can decrease our dependence on fossil fuels there by reducing the
emission considerably. Currently, 75% of our electrical power is
generated by coal-burning and nuclear power plants.
pollution free, indefinitely sustainable.
Dec 2nd 2011 French solar power developer Solairedirect created
history today bidding for a 5-MW solar project quoting a tariff of Rs
7.49 a unit, bringing electricity from sun's energy closer to the reach
of the common man.