Factors influencing solar energy collector efficiency

The effects of glazing, solar flux, emissivity and absorptivity of the absorber surface on collector performance have been predicted for different plate temperatures (60°C and 100°C). At low solar flux levels (200–600 W m^?2) double- or triple-glazed collectors are superior to single-glazed collectors. For collectors with selective absorber coatings, the optimal number of glazing panes is two. Higher values of absorptivity and lower values of emissivity are more effective for single-glazed than for double-glazed collectors.     

Performance Analysis of Flat-Plate Solar Collector Having Silver Nanofluid as a Working Fluid

A study on water solar collector performance having silver nanofluid as working fluid was carried out. In this study, 20-nm silver particles mixed with water at the concentrations of 1,000 and 10,000 ppm were undertaken in 3 small identical closed-loop flat-plate solar collectors, each with an area of 0.15 m × 1.0 m. The mass flux of the working fluid varied between 0.8 and 1.2 L/min-m² and the inlet temperatures were controlled in the range of 35–65°C. The tests were performed outdoor under a steady-state condition. The experimental results showed that at the same Reynolds number, the convective heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid inside the solar absorber tube at 1,000 ppm was slightly higher than that of water, and at 10,000 ppm, the heat transfer coefficient was about 2 times that of water. This meant that the overall heat loss coefficient of the solar collector with nanofluid could be reduced and more solar heat gain could be obtained, especially with a high inlet temperature of the working fluid. In our experiments, for 10,000 ppm concentration of silver nanoparticles, the optical characteristic and the thermal loss characteristic of the solar collector, under steady-state condition with a mass flux of 1.2 kg/min-m², were 0.691 and 4.869 W/m²-K, compared with 0.684 and 7.178 W/m²-K, respectively for 1,000 ppm concentration and 0.702 and 8.318 W/m²-K for water. When the flow rate was different from the standard value, the solar thermal characteristics were also improved with the nanofluid.     

A vapor chamber using extended condenser concept for ultra-high heat flux and large heater area

We proposed an extended vapor chamber (EVC), consisting of an evaporator part and an extended condenser part. A layer of compressed copper foam was sintered on the inner evaporator surface. The extended condenser includes a circular-straight groove network and a fin region. The groove network distributes generated vapor everywhere in the internal volume of EVC. A set of capillary holes are machined within fins. A sliced copper foam bar is inserted in each of capillary hole. The peaks of copper foam bar are tightly contacted with the evaporator copper foam piece. Water is used as the working fluid with a heater area of 0.785 cm². A minimum thermal resistance of 0.03 K/W is reached for the bottom heating. The heat flux is up to 450 W/cm² without reaching dryout. The transition point of thermal resistances versus heat fluxes is significantly delayed with the heat flux exceeding 300 W/cm², beyond which thermal resistances are only slightly increased. EVC not only improves temperature uniformity on the evaporator and fin base surfaces, but also evens the temperature distribution along the fin height direction to increase the fin efficiency. Inclination angles and charge ratios are combined to affect the thermal performance of EVC. An optimal charge ratio of 0.3 was recommended. EVC can be used for ultra-high heat flux and larger heater area conditions.     

Synthesis of calcium aluminates on the big solar furnace

The processes of synthesizing calcium aluminate in the flow of concentrated solar radiation on Large Solar Furnace are studied. It is shown that the synthesis of calcium aluminate takes place through a process of melting of a mixture of aluminum oxides and calcium (Al₂O₃ + CaO). At values of power of the concentrated flow of 200 W/cm², thermodynamic conditions for melting of the materials studied were implemented. Full fusion penetration is achieved at a power flow of 400 W/cm². The resulting material exhibits high mechanical properties (the modulus of rupture upon bending is 40 MPa).     

Evaluation of Jet Impingement,Spray and Microchannel Chip Cooling Options for High Heat Flux Removal

Thermal management for high heat flux removal from microelectronic chips is gaining critical importance in many earth-based and space-based systems. Heat fluxes greater than 1 MW/m² (100 W/cm²) have already been realized in high-end server applications, while cooling needs in next generation chips and advanced systems such as high-power electronics and electrical systems, pulsed power weapons systems, solid-state sensors, and phased-array radars are expected to reach 5–10 MW/m² (500–1000 W/cm²). After evaluating the contributions from different thermal resistances in the chip-to-ambient thermal path, this paper presents a critical review and research recommendations for three prominent contending technologies: jet impingement, spray cooling, and microchannel heat sinks.     

Visualization and thermal resistance measurement for the sintered mesh-wick evaporator in operating flat-plate heat pipes

This work presents visualization and measurement of the evaporation resistance for operating flat-plate heat pipes with sintered multi-layer copper-mesh wick. A glass plate was adopted as the top wall for visualization. The multi-layer copper-mesh wick was sintered on the copper bottom plate. With different combinations of 100 and 200 mesh screens, the wick thickness ranged from 0.26 mm to 0.8 mm. Uniform heating was applied to the base plate near one end with a heated surface of 1.1 × 1.1 cm². At the other end was a cooling water jacket. At various water charges, the evaporation resistances were measured with evaporation behavior visualized for heat fluxes of 16–100 W/cm². Quiescent surface evaporation without nucleate boiling was observed for all test conditions. With heat flux increased, the water film receded and the evaporation resistance reduced. The minimum evaporation resistances were found when a thin water film was sustained in the bottom mesh layer. With heat flux further increased, partial dryout appeared with dry patches in the bottom mesh holes, first at the upstream end of the heated area and then expanded across the evaporator. The evaporation resistance re-rose in response to the appearance and expansion of partial dryout. When the fine 200 mesh screen was used as the bottom layer, its thinner thickness and stronger capillarity led to smaller minimum evaporation resistances.     

Study on diffusion barrier layer of silicon-based thin-film solar cells on polyimide substrate

ZnO and Ni films were used as the diffusion barrier layer between Al and n-type μc-Si:H for the hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells on polyimide (PI) substrate. The electrical, optical and uniformity properties of ZnO or Ni film influence strongly the performance and uniformity of solar cells. The uniformity of the solar cells with ZnO diffusion barrier layer degraded with the increasing thickness of ZnO film. The uniformity of solar cells with Ni diffusion barrier layer was more than 90%, which was generally better than those with ZnO film. A power-to-weight ratio of 200 W/kg was obtained for a-Si:H thin-film solar cell on PI substrate with a size of 14.8 cm².     

Heat transfer characteristics of spray cooling in a closed loop

A closed loop spray cooling test setup is established for the cooling of high heat flux heat sources. Eight miniature nozzles in a multi-nozzle plate are used to generate a spray array targeting at a 1 × 2 cm² cooling surface. FC-87, FC-72, methanol and water are used as the working fluids. Thermal performance data for the multi-nozzle spray cooling in the confined and closed system are obtained at various operating temperatures, nozzle pressure drops (from 0.69 to 3.10 bar) and heat fluxes. It is exhibited that the spray cooler can reach the critical heat fluxes up to 90 W/cm² with fluorocarbon fluids and 490 W/cm² with methanol. For water, the critical heat flux is higher than 500 W/cm². Air purposely introduced in the spray cooling system with FC-72 fluid has a significant influence on heat transfer characteristics of the spray over the cooling surface.     

Foaming of aluminium-silicon alloy using concentrated solar energy

Solar energy is used for the work reported here as a nonconventional heating system to produce aluminium foam from AlSi alloy precursors produced by powder metallurgy. A commercial precursor in cylindrical bars enclosed in a stainless-steel mould was heated under concentrated solar radiation in a solar furnace with varied heating conditions (heating rate, time, and temperature). Concentrated solar energy close to 300 W/cm² on the mould is high enough to achieve complete foaming after heating for only 200 s. Under these conditions, the density and pore distribution in the foam change depending on the solar heating parameters and mould design.     

Synthesis features of barium titanate in the field of concentrated light energy

It is shown that barium titanate can be synthesized, if a concentrated light flux with a density of 100 W/cm² acts to a TiO₂ + BaCO₃ mixture. Samples sintered at T = 1350°C from grinded melt are characterized by higher mechanical strength and permittivity with respect to barium titanates manufactured according to ceramic technologies.     

Transparent Insulation System for Passive Solar Energy Utilization in Buildings

A new concept for the passive use of solar energy, transparent insulation, is described together with the first experimental results. Transparent insulation material has the property of being transparent or translucent to solar radiation while at the same time acting as heat insulation, Elements made of this material can be attached to the walls of buildings and thus permit the utilization of solar energy for heating. Relations are given for the dependence of heat flux and conversion efficiency of radiation into useful heat on the thermal resistance of the components. Calculations using meteorological data show that with materials parameters achievable with present technology not only south but also west/east and possibly even north orientations can lead to significant contributions to heating. In order to avoid overheating in summer, control of radiation must be provided.

Experiments with unoptimized materials on two buildings during 1982/83 showed promising results: for a south facade during a Sunny period in January, a mean flux of 9 W/m² into the house was observed. For the entire heating season the extrapolated value is 16 W/m². On a western orientation a net loss was observed, but the mean effective heat transfer coefficient of the element was lowered from 1.8 W/m²K without radiation to 0.25 W/m²K with radiation. The beneficial effect of masonry walls with regard to heat storage and damping of temperature fluctuation was also demonstrated. The elements proposed here therefore appear particularly attractive for retrofitting.     

A model for improved solar irradiation measurement at low flux

Accurate measurement of solar radiation heat flux is important in characterizing the performance of CSP plants. Thermopile type Heat Flux Sensors (HFSs) are usually used for this purpose. These sensors are typically reasonably accurate at high heat fluxes. However measurement accuracy drops significantly as the measured radiation is below 1 kW/m², this often leads to underestimation of the actual flux. At the Masdar Institute Beam Down Solar Thermal Concentrator (BDSTC), measurement of fluxes ranging from 0 kW/m² to more than 100 kW/m² is required. To improve the accuracy of the sensors in the lower range around 1 kW/m², we have performed a test under ambient (not-concentrated) sunlight. Such low irradiation levels are experienced in characterizing the concentration quality of individual heliostats. It was found during the test that the measurement at this low range is significantly affected by ambient conditions and transients in the HFS cooling water temperature. A Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of more than 100 W/m² was observed even though we kept the transients in water temperature to a minimum. Hence we devised a model to account for this measurement error at this flux range. Using the proposed model decreased the RMSE to less than 10 W/m². The application of the model on existing heat flux measurement installations is facilitated by the fact that it only employs easily measurable variables. This model was checked by using a test data set and the results were in good agreement with the training data set.     

Coal gasification using solar energy

A Gas Recirculation Solar Hybrid Technique developed at the University of New Hampshire for the gasification of carbonaceous materials using solar energy is discussed. The cost of substitute natural gas (SNG) manufactured from conventional and hybrid units of 7.08×10⁶ m³ per day (250 MM SCF/D) capacity from various feed stocks has been computed and compared. It is estimated that by 1995 the cost of SNG from a hybrid system will be competitive with conventional gasification systems. The size of the hybrid plant versus gas cost has also been studied and it is found that for plants smaller than 0.566×10⁶ m³ per day (20 MM SCF/D) of SNG, the gas cost increases exponentially. A bench scale unit of the UNH Gas Recirculation System for coal carbonization has been tested using an electric heater to simulate solar energy with nitrogen as the heat carrier gas. This study shows the successful carbonization of coal by indirectly transferring simulated solar heat, using the gas recirculation technique. The products obtained are similar to those from a conventional carbonization unit. Our results obtained so far show the UNH Gas Recirculation Solar Hybrid process is economically and technically feasible.     

Induced flow for ventilation and cooling by a solar chimney

An experimental and numerical model of a solar chimney was proposed in order to predict its performance under varying geometrical features in Iraqi environmental conditions. Steady, two dimensional, turbulent flow was developed by natural convection inside an inclined solar chimney. This flow was investigated numerically at inclination angles 15° to 60°, solar heat flux 150–750 W/m² and chimney thickness (50, 100 and 150) mm. The experimental study was conducted using a single solar chimney installed on the roof of a single room with a volume of 12 m³. The chimney was 2 m long; 2 m wide has three gap thicknesses namely: 50, 100 and 150 mm. The performance of the solar chimney was evaluated by measuring the temperature of its glass cover, the absorbing wall and the temperature and velocity of induced air. The results of numerical model showed that; the optimum chimney inclination angle was 60° to obtain the maximum rate of ventilation. At this inclination angle, the rate of ventilation was about 20% higher than 45°. Highest rate of ventilation induced with the help of solar energy was found to be 30 air changes per hour in a room of 12 m³ volumes, at a solar radiation of 750 W/m², inclined surface angle of 60°, aspect ratio of 13.3 and chimney length of 2 m. The maximum air velocity was 0.8 m/s for a radiation intensity of 750 W/m² at an air gap of 50 mm thickness. No reverse air flow circulation was observed even at the largest gap of 150 mm. The induced air stream by solar chimney can be used for ventilation and cooling in a natural way (passive), without any mechanical assistance.     

Micro-channel heat sink with slurry of water with micro-encapsulated phase change material: 3D-numerical study

This study investigates the influence of using micro-encapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) on the thermal and hydraulic performance of micro-channel heat sinks used for heat dissipation of high power electronic devices. A three-dimensional, one-phase, laminar flow model of a rectangular channel using water slurry of MEPCM with temperature dependent physical properties was developed. The results showed a significant increase in the heat transfer coefficient under certain conditions for heat flux rates of 100 W/cm² and 500 W/cm² that is mainly dependant on the channel inlet and outlet temperatures and the selected MEPCM melting temperature. Lower and more uniform temperatures across the electronic device can be achieved at less pumping power compared to using water only as the cooling fluid.     

Thermal management of solar cells using a nano‐coated heat pipe plate: an indoor experimental study

With temperature increasing, the photovoltaic efficiency of solar cells is reduced significantly. Such an efficiency loss may offset the efficiency improvement because of the development of the photovoltaic technology. This paper provides a novel approach for efficiency loss recovery of solar cells. Specifically, a nano‐coated heat pipe plate was integrated with the solar panel to remove heat from the hotspots on solar cells. This study concerns the indoor experiments of a commercial solar cell thermally managed with a heat pipe plate. The temperature rise and non‐uniformity on the solar panel were quantified in different light irradiances. With thermal management by the heat pipe plate, the solar panel shows a temperature‐rise reduction of 47–50%. This implies that half of the efficiency loss of the solar cell can be recovered. In addition, the temperature variation within the solar panel is reduced to 1.0–2.5 °C, which is beneficial in prolonging the longevity of the solar cell. In the experiments, the heat pipe plate can provide a cooling flux of 380 W/m² with light irradiance below 1000 W/m². By incorporating the heat pipe plate with a water jacket, the heat removal flux could be improved to 600 W/m², leading to a solar cell temperature of a few degrees higher than the ambient. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High Efficiency Large Area Back Contact Concentrator Solar Cells with a Multilevel Interconnection

Very high efficiencies have been demonstrated under concentration with silicon solar cells having interdigitated contacts on the backside. However, only laboratory cells of small dimension have reached very high efficiencies. The need for developing a multilevel metallization technology for back contact concentrator solar cells of large area is demonstrated. The particular features required for such a multilevel interconnection are studied and a process using anodic oxidation of aluminum is presented. Back contact silicon solar cells of 0.64 cm² have been processed in this technology resulting in 26.2% efficiencies at 10W/cm² (100 suns AM1.5, 25.5 ^°C). the highest efficiency reported to date for a solar cell of this area. The one-sun efficiency of this cell is 21.7% (AMI.5, 25.2^°C). We propose also a new design for the metallization of back contact cells which allows an increase in the size of the cell without increasing the series resistance.     

Experimental characterisation of a Fresnel lens photovoltaic concentrating system

An extensive indoor experimental characterisation program to investigate the heat loss from a point focus Fresnel lens PV Concentrator (FPVC) with a concentration ratio of 100× was performed for a range of simulated solar radiation intensities between 200 and 1000 W/m², different ambient air temperatures, and natural and forced convection. From the experimental program it was found that the solar cell temperature increased proportionally with the increase in simulated solar radiation for all experimental tests, indicating that conductive and convective heat transfer were significantly larger than the long wave radiative heat transfer within and from the FPVC system. For the simulated worst case scenario, in which the FPVC system was tested under a simulated solar radiation intensity of 1000 W/m² and ambient air temperature of 50 °C with no forced convection, the predicted silicon solar cell efficiency in the FPVC system was reduced to approximately half that at standard test conditions.     

Highly durable inverted-type organic solar cell using amorphous titanium oxide as electron collection electrode inserted between ITO and organic layer

An indium tin oxide/titanium oxide/[6,6]-phenyl C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester:regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxylenethiophene):poly(4-styrene sulfonic acid)/Au type organic solar cell (ITO/TiO_x/PCBM:P3HT/PEDOT:PSS/Au) with 1 cm² active area, which is called “inverted-type solar cell”, was developed using an ITO/amorphous titanium oxide (TiO_x) electrode prepared by a sol-gel technique instead of a low functional electrode such as Al. The power conversion efficiency (η) of 2.47% was obtained by irradiating AM 1.5G-100 mW cm⁻² simulated sunlight. We found that a photoconduction of TiO_x by irradiating UV light containing slightly in the simulated sunlight was required to drive this solar cell. The device durability in an ambient atmosphere was maintained for more than 20 h under continuous light irradiation. Further, when the air-stable device was covered by a glass plate with a water getter sheet which was coated by an epoxy-UV resin as sealing material, the durability was still higher and over 96% of relative efficiency was observed even after continuous light irradiation for 120 h.     

The flash pyrolysis of cellulosic materials using concentrated visible light

The radiant flash pyrolysis of Avicel cellulose and kraft paper particles using concentrated visible light is described. The particles circulate in a clear quartz spouted bed reactor while undergoing pyrolysis in an incident radiant flux of up to 200 W/cm². This flux is supplied by an arc image furnace which uses a 5 kW Xenon bulb as its light source. The volatile pyrolysis products are quenched by the steam flow used to spout the bed and are entrained out of the reactor before secondary reactions can occur, ensuring a high sirup yield (63 per cent from cellulose). The major sirup component is levoglucosan.