Solar Thermal Systems

Overview

Compentency

Selecting solar thermal systems according to specific local conditions and applications

Module type

elective module

Semester

summer

Site

Kassel

Language

English

Workload

60 hours course attendance; 40 hours self-study

Credits points

4

Recommended qualifications

none

Solar Thermal Cooling

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Solar Thermal Cooling the students are able to:

  • understand the use of solar thermal energy for air conditioning
  • analyse the size of solar thermal plants for air conditioning (as components and as total system) and the connection of the system to the building

Content

  • Solar thermal cooling and solar thermal assisted air conditioning:
    • space cooling and refrigeration
    • cooling and dehumidification
    • energy demand for cooling and dehumidification
  • Fundamentals and basics of absorption cooling:
    • energy and mass balance of absorption cycle, solution field
    • thermodynamics and efficiency
    • working pairs
    • enthalpy-concentration chart
  • Basics of cooling towers, humid air, cooling tower concepts:
    • wet cooling towers/dry cooling towers
    • absorption cycles using LiBr-water or other working pairs like NH3-water and organic pairs, cycle schematic
  • Balances of the components:
    • evaporator, condenser, absorber, desorber, solution heat exchanger, pump, expansion valves, figures of merit, performance coefficient, pump work ratio, design and technical details
    • typical component design, crystallisation prevention, maintenance of vacuum
  • System integration, control, characteristic equation, buffer and storage tanks, solar fraction, primary energy rate, water consumption, economics; state of the art of absorption chillers and new developments
  • Solid sorption, basics of absorption cooling, energy and mass balance of absorption cycle, thermodynamics and efficiency; working pairs, Silicagel-water, Zeolite-water, Ammonium salts, state of the art and new developments
  • Further thermally driven cooling systems:
    • open desiccant systems, solid desiccant systems, basics, design, working pairs, application, liquid desiccant systems, basics, design, working pairs
  • Application:
    • jet-cycle systems
    • double-effect absorption cycle
    • examples of installed systems

Details

  • Lecturer: Salman Ajib
  • Teaching method: lecture
  • SWS: 2
  • Credit points: 2
  • Examination: written exam (90 min)

Concentrated Solar Thermal Systems

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Concentrated Solar Thermal Systems the students are able to:

  • reflect the fundamental characteristics and capabilities as well as impacts of concentrating solar power (CSP) stations within national electricity supply schemes
  • understand the fundamentals of international cooperation for solar electricity export and long-distance transmission
  • assess the technical and economic potential of CSP in a country and to identify the best sites for project development

Content

  • Fundamentals:
    • solar meteorology
    • principles of solar electricity generation
    • fluctuating and balancing power, storability
    • short and long-term reserve capacity
    • environmental impacts of CSP plants
  • Assessment of CSP potentials:
    • mapping and time series of direct-normal irradiance (DNI)
    • mapping of site characteristics with geographic information systems
    • simplified modelling of CSP performance
    • mapping and evaluation of CSP potentials
  • Creating scenarios for sustainable electricity:
    • target definition and sustainability
    • quantify the perspectives of electricity demand
    • quantify renewable electricity potentials
    • other electricity sources
    • how to match time series of electricity load and supply, technical and economic learning curves
    • least cost optimization
  • Concentrating solar power for seawater desalination:
    • water demand perspectives in the Middle East and North Africa
    • concepts for solar powered seawater desalination
    • scenarios for sustainable freshwater supply
    • economic and environmental impacts
  • Trans-mediterranean interconnection:
    • CSP in the European electricity mix
    • opportunities of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)
    • long-term perspectives of CSP in Europe, MENA and worldwide
    • economic and environmental impacts

Details

  • Lecturer: Adel Khalil
  • Teaching method: lecture
  • SWS: 2
  • Credit points: 2
  • Examination: written exam (90 min) or report (5-6 pages)