IIT Bombay

DESE

Solar Thermal Energy Conversion

Lecture #15

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 1
 IIT Bombay
Concentrator geometry DESE

Aperture (W): The plane at the opening of the concentrator through which
solar radiation enters the concentrator
Concentration ratio (C): This is the ratio of the aperture to the area of the
absorber pate.
Intercept factor: This is the ratio of the incident radiation on the absorbober
plate after concentration to the actual incident radiation crosses the aperture
Acceptance angle: This is the measurement of the deviation in the incident
angle from the normal to the aperture area.

1 1
For line focus Cm , 2 D  and point focus Cm , 3 D  2
sin  a sin  a

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 2
 IIT Bombay
Central receiving power plant DESE

Central receiver

•Tower height- 80m

• Reflectic area- 71000 sq. m
• 1800 heliostat
• Steam as fluid
• 10MW

Rankine cycle
system

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 3
 IIT Bombay
DESE

Solar-1, 10 MW plant

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 4
 IIT Bombay
Pay back period DESE

• Energy pay back period

• Money pay back period

total energy required for the system

Energy pay back period =
annual energy conversion by the system

total investment
Money pay back period =
annual income from fuel saving

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 5
 IIT Bombay
Pay back period DESE

• Payback period depends on which fuel of cooking you are replacing with solar
cooker, e.g. LPG, electric, coal etc.
• LPG energy content is (12.6kWh/kg*13.5kg/cylinder = 612360 kJ/cylinder)
• Heat energy required for cooking a single person is about 900 kJ
• Box type solar cooker can cook about 40% of food for 4 people, cost of box type
solar cooker is about 2000 Rs.

• Find out the money payback period?

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 6
 IIT Bombay
DESE

Water heating

Pressure
cooking

Fraying

Ironing
Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 7
 IIT Bombay
Cooking by Scheffler disk DESE

Scheffler disk (parabolic disk) is used, requires tracking, focuses light into kitchen,
secondary reflector are used

Scheffler disc
(south facing)
Kitchen

sun-tracking
arrangement

secondary reflectors

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 8
 IIT Bombay
Cooking by Scheffler disk DESE

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 9
 IIT Bombay
Cooking by Scheffler disk DESE

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 10
 IIT Bombay
DESE

Cocking vessels

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 11
 IIT Bombay
Cooking by parabolic disk DESE

Solar Steam Cooking System for 15000

people (worlds largest)

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)

Andhra Pradesh, India
Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 12
 IIT Bombay
DESE

Cocker installed in Saidham

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 13
 IIT Bombay
Concentrated collector: comparison DESE

Name of system Contributing Temp (oC) Efficiency

radiation (%)
Cylindrical parabolic Direct 100 to 400 50 - 60
collector
Parabolic point focus Direct Up to 1000 70-80

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 14
 IIT Bombay
Performances: Flat plate collector DESE

40 %

30 %

12:00

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 15
 IIT Bombay
Performances: Flat plate collector DESE

100 %
Relative insolation

0.9 
0.8 
90 %
0.7 

80 %
0

70 %
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Latitude
Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 16
 IIT Bombay
Performances: Parabolic concentrator DESE

90

I
Incident angle

II
60
III

30
IV

0 V

6:00 8:00 10:00 12:00 14:00 16:00 18:00

Time
Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 17
 IIT Bombay
Closed loop system DESE

Used when large amount of water heating is required Cold water tank

Insulated piping Temp

Water for
Collector array use
Temp Storage
tank
controller

Auxiliary
heater
pump

There can also be a open loop system

Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 18
 IIT Bombay
Closed loop system DESE

Low temperature system, medium temperature, high temperature systems

turbine

Heat
exchanger

Flat plate
collector Condenser
Storage
Storagetank
tank

Working fluid in
pump
Rankine cycle
pump

•Low temperature system, water as working fluid low efficiency, how much low?
•In medium temperature parabolic trough with other working fluid, higher efficiency
•Storage requirement can be avoided using solar pond concept
Autumn Semester Lecture 15: EN 601: Solar thermal energy conversion Slide 19