Category: News

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Novel solar gasifier produces green iron and syngas from biowaste

IMAGE©S.Abanades and S. Chuayboon Green iron and syngas production via continuous solar-driven agricultural waste biomass gasification combined with iron(III) oxide reduction Two international concentrated solar researchers have demonstrated using concentrated solar heat to produce green iron and syngas from renewable biomass, using no-oxygen conversion in a gasifier for a carbon-free process. In their paper, Green …

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A novel solar tech for commercial heat deploys graphene nanoparticles in clear glass tubing

The tubing that absorbs the solar heat reflected off the parabolic trough-shaped solar collector in Trough CSP is normally a metal. Researchers at PROMES-CNRS have instead trialed glass tubing filled with graphene-infused nanoparticles suspended in water, to improve performance. In concentrated solar thermal (CST) energy collection using parabolic trough-shaped mirrors, the heat from the sun …

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Published at Applied Thermal Engineering – Analysis of thermal and mechanical properties with inventory level of the molten salt storage tank in central receiver concentrating solar power plants

Abstract: Molten salt thermal energy storage (TES) tanks ensure steady power output of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants; however, recent tank failures have highlighted the need for further analysis. Current studies primarily focus on analyzing the molten salt flow, heat transfer, and thermal efficiency. Additionally, research on the latest tank structures is limited and lacks …

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3D-Printed solar receiver of honeycomb mesh to spread heat evenly

Result of a 3D-Printed solar receiver of honeycomb mesh shows the heat distribution through the tubes carrying the air that acts as heat transfer fluid IMAGE©OmarBehar, KAUST A 3D-Printed solar receiver could solve some problems holding back a new technology: High-temperature solar receivers – for solar thermochemistry and industrial heat – can be prone to …

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Published at Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews – Sources of solar tracking errors and correction strategies for heliostats

Abstract Heliostat fields represent the primary energy input for concentrating solar-thermal power based on power tower technology. They typically account for 40 %–50 % of the implementation cost of a power tower plant. Therefore, it is essential to optimize the solar tracking accuracy of heliostats to reduce solar tracking errors that lead to deviations in …

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Published at Journal of Solar Energy Engineering – Heliostat Consortium: Gap Analysis on State of the Art in Wind Load Design

Abstract: Wind loads are a major driver of heliostat cost. Standardized methods and tools are needed for a more detailed understanding of the static and dynamic loads of a heliostat design. This will enable cost reduction of wind-dependent heliostats to avoid unnecessarily conservative heliostat designs and increase field efficiency and reliability to reduce the risk …

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Lowest cost of heat for modular sodium CSP? A “Billboard” solar receiver with a “Cartesian” heliostat layout

High-temperature liquid sodium receivers able to run at over 700°C may allow use of modular multi-tower system configurations similar to that being developed by the Australian firm Vast Solar (now Vast) for next-generation sodium-based concentrating solar power (CSP). Unlike today’s one tall central tower encircled by one large heliostat field, a liquid sodium-based CSP system …

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Aussi petcare firm taps both solar technologies for industrial heat

  Mars Petcare will use this kind of parabolic trough concentrated solar thermal (CST) collectors for direct solar industrial heat and a thermal energy storage system also heated by electricity from Victoria’s solar-rich grid Mars petcare factory to tap sunlight for CST heat plus leverage Victoria’s world-leading renewable grid to electrically heat thermal energy storage. …

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Published at Solar Compass – A critical perspective and analysis of two-step thermochemical fuel production cycles

Abstract: Two-step thermochemical fuel production cycles powered using concentrating solar systems offer a route to convert solar energy to chemical fuels. In this work, we offer a critical assessment of the state of the art, a detailed technical analysis of this technology in terms of theoretical limitations and potential performance, and potential paths forward in …

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Published at Applied Thermal Engineering – Investigations of inlet arrangement strategies and particle parameters on thermochemical performance in falling particle solar reactors

Abstract: The reformation of methane to hydrogen and steam in a falling particle solar reactor (FPSR) is a promising method to use the solar energy, which converts solar energy into chemical energy. FPSR has higher operation temperature, higher pressure bearing capacity and more direct heat energy storage than those of traditional reactor. However, due to …

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