Search Results (14)

Cooking food is a factor that contributes to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This research proposes the design, simulation using thermal resistances with MATLAB Simulink, and experimental evaluation of an automated double-concentrated solar cooking system operable from inside a home. Water was used as a cooking load. Each test for 25 min was entered into a system integrated by a programmable elevator to transport the food to the roof, a configurable temperature display, a photovoltaic power source, and double solar collection (direct through a modified box oven and reflected by a parabolic dish collector). When both solar components operated simultaneously, the system reached a temperature of 79 °C, representing a 57.34 °C increase. On average, the solar concentrator provided 78.02% more energy than the oven alone. This approach is expected to reduce cooking time and contribute to sustainable home design aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

The growing demand for efficient and sustainable energy solutions underscores the importance of advancing solar energy technologies, particularly Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems. This review presents a structured evaluation of two key innovation domains in CSP: the application of nanofluids and the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. The first part analyzes experimental and simulation-based studies on nanofluid-enhanced CSP systems, covering four major collector types—parabolic trough, solar power tower, solar dish, and Fresnel reflectors. Nanofluids have been shown to significantly enhance thermal efficiency, with hybrid formulations offering the greatest improvements. The second part examines the role of Industry 4.0 technologies—including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and digital twins (DT)—in improving CSP system monitoring, performance prediction, and operational reliability. Although a few recent studies explore the combined use of nanofluids and Industry 4.0 tools in CSP systems, most research addresses these areas independently. This review identifies this lack of integration as a gap in the current literature. By presenting separate yet complementary analyses, the study offers a comprehensive overview of emerging pathways for CSP optimization. Key research challenges and future directions are highlighted, particularly in nanofluid stability, system cost-efficiency, and digital implementation at scale. Full article

The industrial sector’s movement toward decarbonization is regarded as essential for governments. This paper assesses a system that uses only solar energy to synthesize liquid hydrogen and ammonia as energy carriers. Photovoltaic modules deliver electrical power, while parabolic dish collectors are responsible for directing thermal energy to the solid oxide electrolyzer for hydrogen production, which then mixes with nitrogen to produce ammonia after a number of compression stages. To investigate the proposed system, comprehensive thermodynamic and exergo-economic studies are performed using an engineering equation solver and ASPEN PLUS software. Full article

This study proposes parabolic dish-based, toroidal-structured fractal solar collectors. The potential of fractal geometry to increase heat transfer and the ability of the parabolic dish to concentrate solar rays form the basis of the proposed design for increasing efficiency. In this study, the thermal and hydrodynamic behaviors of the proposed 3-row, 4-row, and 5-row parabolic collectors were investigated comprehensively. Using theoretical modeling and experimental results, the performances of the proposed parabolic dish-based toroidal fractal solar collectors were evaluated and compared via numerical simulation methods. After the experimental studies of the 3-row toroidal fractal collector, the analysis studies were completed using the ANSYS-Fluent program. Then, simulations were carried out for other toroidal solar collectors using the results of these experimental studies. As a result of the converging numerical analyses, the radiative, hydrodynamic, and thermal analysis results of the toroidal absorbers in 3-row, 4-row, and 5-row structures integrated with the parabolic dish were compared. In the temperature distribution analysis, it was observed that the parabolic dish effectively focuses on the sun rays and provides a gradual temperature increase of approximately 21 K for the fractal collector. It is observed that 96.84% convergence was achieved between the experimental and numerical results. Full article

The design of a thermal cavity receiver and the arrangement of the fluid flow layout within it are critical in the construction of solar parabolic dish collectors, involving the prediction of the thermal–fluid physical field of the receiver and optimization design. However, the thermal–fluid analysis coupled with a heat loss model of the receiver is a non-linear and computationally intensive solving process that incurs high computational costs in the optimization procedure. To address this, we implement a net-based thermal–fluid model that incorporates heat loss analysis to describe the receiver’s flow and heat transfer processes, reducing computational costs. The physical field results of the net-based thermal–fluid model are compared with those of the numerical simulation, enabling us to verify the accuracy of the established thermal–fluid model. Additionally, based on the developed thermal–fluid model, a topology optimization method that employs a genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to design the cavity receiver and its built-in net-based flow channels. Using the established optimization method, single-objective and multi-objective optimization experiments are conducted under inhomogeneous heat flux conditions, with objectives including maximizing temperature uniformity and thermal efficiency, as well as minimizing the pressure drop. The results reveal varying topological characteristics for different optimization objectives. In comparison with the reference design (spiral channel) under the same conditions, the multi-objective optimization results exhibit superior comprehensive performance. Full article

The main factors influencing biochar properties are feedstock biomass and pyrolysis operational conditions. A solar parabolic dish collector was proposed as a new green approach to the pyrolysis process. The technique of this reactor was designed to produce biochar from sesame feedstock (SF) by concentrating solar radiation. This research aims to compare the main physical and chemical properties of biochar produced by the solar reactor to those of the conventional reactor (muffle furnace, SB-3). Biochar produced by the parabolic dish collector was a heterogeneous brown color. Depending on color intensity, biochar was divided into the biochar formed around the inner sidewalls of the internal chamber (SB-1) and the biochar formed in the upper part of the internal chamber (SB-2). Generally, the physiochemical properties of the SB-2 biochar were similar to the SB-3 biochar, while SB-1 biochar was similar to SF. This was because the temperature distribution was not uniform in the solar reactor. The proposed solar parabolic dish collector needs some modifications to upgrade the biochar production to be close to that produced by the electric instrument. SB-2 is preferred as a soil amendment depending on its pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), elemental composition, ion molar ratio (H/C, O/C, and (O+N)/C), and acidic functional groups. Full article

This work aims to perform a holistic review regarding renewable energy mix, power production approaches, demand scenarios, power policies, and investments with respect to clean energy production in the southern states of India. Further, a thermoelectric-generator model is proposed to meet rural demands using a proposed solar dish collector technology. The proposed model is based on the idea of employing a parabolic concentrator and a thermoelectric (TE) module to generate electricity directly from the sun’s energy. A parabolic dish collector with an aperture of 1.11 m is used to collect sunlight and concentrate it onto a receiver plate with an area of 1.56 m in the proposed TE solar concentrator. The concentrated solar thermal energy is converted directly into electrical energy by using a bismuth telluride (BiTe)-based TE module mounted on the receiver plate. A rectangular fin heatsink, coupled with a fan, is employed to remove heat from the TE module’s cool side, and a tracking device is used to track the sun continuously. The experimental results show considerable agreement with the mathematical model as well as its potential applications. Solar thermal power generation plays a crucial part in bridging the demand–supply gap for electricity, and it can be achieved through rural electrification using the proposed solar dish collector technology, which typically has a 10 to 25 kW capacity per dish and uses a Stirling engine to generate power. Here the experimentation work generates a voltage of 11.6 V, a current of 0.7 A, and a power of 10.5 W that can be used for rural electrification, especially for domestic loads. Full article

In this study, a small-scale two-stage multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination unit equipped with a vacuum pump and a solar parabolic collector (PDC) with a conical cavity receiver were integrated. To eliminate the need for heat exchangers, a water circulation circuit was designed in a way that the saline feedwater could directly flow through the receiver of the PDC. The system’s performance was examined during six days in July 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., under two distinct scenarios of the MSF desalination operation under the vacuum (−10 kPa) and atmospheric pressure by considering three saline feedwater water flow rates of 0.7, 1 and 1.3 L/min. Furthermore, the performance of the solar PDC-MSF desalination plant was evaluated by conducting energy and exergy analyses. The results indicated that the intensity of solar radiation, which directly affects the top brine temperature (TBT), and the values of the saline feedwater flow rate have the most impact on productivity. The maximum productivity of 3.22 L per 5 h in a day was obtained when the temperature and saline feedwater flow rate were 94.25 °C (at the maximum solar radiation of 1015.3 W/m²) and 0.7 L/min, respectively, and the MSF was under vacuum pressure. Additionally, it was found that increasing the feedwater flow rate from 0.7 to 1.3 L/min reduces distillate production by 76.4% while applying the vacuum improves the productivity by about 34% at feedwater flow rate of 0.7 L/min. The exergy efficiency of the MSF unit was obtained as 0.07% with the highest share of exergy destruction in stages. The quality parameters of the produced distillate including pH, TDS, EC and DO were measured, ensuring they lie within the standard range for drinking water. Moreover, the cost of freshwater produced by the MSF plant varied from 37 US$/m³ to 1.5 US$/m³ when the treatment capacity increased to 8000 L/day. Full article

The present work focuses on the techno-economic assessment and multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization of small-scale (40 kW_th input), solar Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems driven by medium-to-high temperature (up to 210 °C) parabolic dish (PDC) and trough (PTC) collectors. The ORCs are designed to maximize their nominal thermal efficiency for several natural hydrocarbon working fluids. The optimization variables are the solar field area and storage tank capacity, with the goal of minimizing the levelized cost of produced electricity (LCoE) and maximizing the annual solar conversion efficiency. The lowest LCOE (0.34 €/kWh) was obtained in Athens for a high solar field area and low storage tank capacity. Meanwhile, the maximum annual solar conversion efficiencies (10.5–11%) were obtained in northern cities (e.g., Brussels) at lower solar field locations. While PTCs and PDCs result in similar efficiencies, the use of PTCs is more cost-effective. Among the working fluids, Cyclopentane and Cyclohexane exhibited the best performance, owing to their high critical temperatures. Notably, the systems could be more profitable at higher system sizes, as indicated by the 6% LCoE decrease of the solar ORC in Athens when the nominal heat input was increased to 80 kW_th. Full article

Renewable energy resources like solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy, photovoltaic etc. are gaining much importance due to the day by day depletion of conventional resources. Owing to the lower efficiencies of renewable energy resources, much attention has been paid to improving them. The concept of utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) has attracted wide attention in recent years. This is due to their ability to extract thermal energy when used in collaboration with photovoltaic (PV), thus improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In this paper, the objective is to design and fabricate a novel thermal energy storage system using phase change material. An investigation on the characteristics of Potash Alum as a phase change material due to its low cost, easy availability and its usage as an energy storage for the indoor purposes are taken into account. The use of a latent heat storage system using phase change materials (PCMs) is an effective way of storing thermal energy and has the advantage of high-energy storage density and the isothermal nature of the storage process. In the current study, potash alum was identified as a phase change material combined with renewable energy sources, that can be efficiently and effectively used in storing thermal energy at compartively lower temperatures that can later be used in daily life heating requirements.A parabolic dish which acts of a heat collector is used to track and reflects solar radiation at a single point on a receiver tank. Heat transfer from the solar collector to the storage tank is done by using a circulating heat transfer fluid with the help of a pump. The experimental results show that this system is capable of successfully storing and utilizing thermal energy on indoor scale such as cooking, heating and those applications where temperature is below 92 °C. Full article

The objective of this study is the investigation of different solar concentrating collectors for application in a trigeneration system. Parabolic trough collectors, linear Fresnel reflectors and solar dishes are the examined solar concentrating technologies in this work. The trigeneration unit includes an organic Rankine cycle coupled with an absorption heat machine that operates with LiBr/water. The analysis is performed throughout the year by using the weather data of Athens in Greece. The results of this work indicate that the selection of parabolic trough collectors is the best choice because it leads to the maximum yearly system energy efficiency of 64.40% and to the minimum simple payback period of 6.25 years. The second technology is the solar dish with the energy efficiency of 62.41% and the simple payback period of 6.95 years, while the linear Fresnel reflector is the less efficient technology with the energy efficiency of 35.78% and with a simple payback period of 10.92 years. Lastly, it must be stated that the thermodynamic investigation of the system is performed with a created model in Engineering Equation Solver, while the dynamic analysis is performed with a code in the programming language FORTRAN. Full article

A parabolic solar dish concentrator, as the heat source of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), can be used for power generation. Different types of tubular cavity receivers with different nanofluids can be considered for use in the solar dish collector to improve its efficiency. In the current research, an ORC with three different cavity receivers including hemispherical, cubical, and cylindrical are investigated using three nanofluids: Al₂O₃/oil, CuO/oil, and SiO₂/oil. A numerical model is validated using experimental data. The ORC analysis is done for a constant evaporator pressure of 2.5 MPa, and condenser temperature of 38 °C. Methanol is employed as the ORC’s working fluid and a non-regenerative, ideal ORC system with different turbine inlet temperatures is considered. Furthermore, a fixed solar heat transfer fluid flow rate of 60 mL/s and dish diameter of 1.9 m is investigated. Results show that, compared to pure oil, the thermal efficiency of the cavity receivers increases slightly, and the pressure drop increases with the application of nanofluids. Furthermore, results show that the cubical cavity receiver, using oil/Al₂O₃ nanofluid, is the most efficient choice for application as the investigated solar ORC’s heat source. Full article

In this study, the maximum work extraction from the incident solar energy on solar thermal collectors is investigated by coupling solar collectors with a Carnot machine. A simplified thermal model for the solar collector performance is developed in which the radiation losses play a significant role. In every examined case, the optimum operating temperature that leads to maximum work extraction is calculated. The final results are presented parametrically, covering a great variety of real solar collectors. Moreover, the validation procedure of the developed model proves high accuracy. The results show that non-concentrating collectors should operate up to 400 K while concentrating collectors in higher temperature levels. More specifically, a parabolic trough collector can operate efficiently in temperature levels up to 850 K, while solar dish collectors can operate efficiently in temperature levels up to 1100 K. The results of this study can be exploited for the preliminary design and optimization of solar thermal systems. Moreover, a clear and realistic upper limit concerning the exergy production of solar irradiation with solar thermal collectors is given. Full article

Energy and exergy analyses were carried out for a pilot parabolic solar dish-Stirling System. The system was set up at a site at Kerman City, located in a sunny desert area of Iran. Variations in energy and exergy efficiency were considered during the daytime hours of the average day of each month in a year. A maximum collector energy efficiency and total energy efficiency of 54% and 12.2%, respectively, were predicted in July, while during the period between November and February the efficiency values were extremely low. The maximum collector exergy efficiency was 41.5% in July, while the maximum total exergy efficiency reached 13.2%. The values of energy losses as a percentage of the total losses of the main parts of the system were also reported. Results showed that the major energy and exergy losses occurred in the receiver. The second biggest portion of energy losses occurred in the Stirling engine, while the portion of exergy loss in the concentrator was higher compared to the Stirling engine. Finally, the performance of the Kerman pilot was compared to that of the EuroDish project. Full article