Solar Energy Engineering

List of Contributors

Preface

General Information


1. Introduction


2. The Sun and the Celestial Vault


2.1 Introduction


2.2 The Sun: A Grain of Sand in a Whirling Desert Storm


2.3 The Calculation of the Angle of Incidence of Direct Radiation on an Inclined Plane


2.4 The Sun: A Spark in a Volcanic Eruption


3. Solar Irradiance, Total and Spectral


3.1 Introduction


3.2 The Extraterrestrial Solar Energy


3.3 The Solar Constant


3.4 Solar Spectral Irradiance for Zero Air Mass


3.5 Variations with Sun-Earth Distance


3.6 Accuracy of the Standard Values


3.7 Variations in Solar Energy Output


3.8 Solar Energy Variation at Ground Level


3.9 Atmospheric Attenuation of Solar Energy


3.10 Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance at Ground Level


3.11 Conclusion


4. Solar Energy Availability Prediction from Climatological Data


4.1 Introduction


4.2 Estimation of Total Solar Radiation


4.3 Estimation of the Total Solar Radiation from Meteorological Data


4.4 Some Factors Which Influence Total Solar Radiation


4.5 A General Empirical Formula for Estimating Total Solar Radiation


4.6 Estimation of Direct and Diffused Radiation


4.7 Conclusion


5. Heat Transfer for Solar Energy Utilization


5.1 Introduction


5.2 Conduction


5.3 Convection


5.4 Heat Transfer with Vapor Condensation


5.5 Liquid Vaporization


5.6 Thermal Radiation


5.7 Some Heat Transfer Problems Related to Heat Exchanges


6. Solar Energy Utilization—Liquid Flat Plate Collectors


6.1 Introduction


6.2 Heat Transfer Processes


6.3 Steady State Models of Collector Performance


6.4 Some Performance Characteristics of Conventional Tube and Plate Collectors


6.5 Areas of Research Interest for Future Work


7. Convective Heat Transfer Effects within Honeycomb Structures for Flat Plate Solar Collectors


7.1 Introduction


7.2 The General Problem of Heat Transfer within Cellular Structures


7.3 Some Theoretical Aspects of the Free Convection Process for Fluid Layers


7.4 Experimental Work on Free Convection Effects


7.5 Effect of Radiation on Convective Effects in Cells


8. Solar Air Heaters and Their Applications


8.1 Introduction


8.2 Design Variations of Solar Air Heaters


8.3 Calculation of the Efficiency of a Flat Plate Solar Air Heater


8.4 Performance of Various Collector Types


8.5 Applications of Solar Air Heaters


9. Concentrating Collectors


9.1 Introduction


9.2 Point Focus Configurations—Parabolic Mirrors


9.3 Circular Fresnel Lenses


9.4 The Central Receiver


9.5 Concentration Limits


9.6 Point Focus Mountings


9.7 Fully Tracking Mounting Configurations


9.8 Kinematics of Fully Tracking Mountings


9.9 Generalized Heliostat


9.10 Line Focus Configurations


9.11 Parabolic Cylinder


9.12 Cylindrical Optical Mountings


9.13 Fixed Mirror Line Focus Systems


9.14 Semifixed Mirror Systems


9.15 Fixed-Mirror Moving-Absorber Systems


9.16 Mirror Materials


10. Solar Pond


10.1 Introduction


10.2 Forming and Maintaining the Stable Density Gradient


10.3 Absorption of Solar Radiation Incident upon the Pond


10.4 Theoretical Analyses of the Temperature Development in the Pond


10.5 Extraction of Heat from the Pond


10.6 Conclusion


11. Solar Furnaces


11.1 Introduction


11.2 Fundamentals of Solar Furnaces


11.3 Theoretical Concentrations


11.4 Design Examples


11.5 Procedures in High-Temperature Investigations Using a Solar Furnace


11.6 Conclusion


12. Photovoltaic Conversion


12.1 Introduction


12.2 Semiconductor Principles


12.3 The Band Theory of Solids


12.4 Optical Characteristics


12.5 Transport Characteristics


12.6 Photovoltaic Principles


12.7 Cell Fabrication


12.8 Photovoltaic Systems with Sunlight Concentration


12.9 Conclusions


13. Application of Solar Energy in Space


13.1 Introduction


13.2 Solar Cell Systems


13.3 Solar Cell Fabrication for Space


13.4 Future Space Cells and Systems


13.5, Other Solar Systems in Space


14. Conversion of Solar Energy into Electricity


14.1 Introduction


14.2 Direct Energy Conversion


14.3 Conversion through a Heat Stage


14.4 Conversion through Other Stages


14.5 Solar Energy Power System


14.6 Conclusions


15. Storage of Solar Energy


15.1 Introduction


15.2 Electrical Storage


15.3 Storage in the Form of Heat


15.4 Storage in the Form of Fuel


15.5 Storage in the Form of Potential Hydraulic Energy


15.6 Conclusion


16. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning


16.1 Introduction


16.2 Requirements


16.3 Refrigeration Systems


16.4 Solar Cooling


16.5 A Place for Solar Cooling


17. Solar Heating and Cooling of Homes


17.1 Introduction


17.2 Solar System Types


17.3 System Components


17.4 Survey of Significant Solar-Heated and Cooled Residences


17.5 Conclusion


18. Solar Production of Hydrogen


18.1 Introduction


18.2 Solar-Hydrogen Energy System


18.3 Solar-Hydrogen Production


18.4 Conclusion


19. Solar Energy Measuring Equipment


19.1 Historical Background of Solar Radiometry


19.2 Basic Principles of Solar Radiometry


19.3 Pyrheliometers


19.4 Pyranometers


19.5 Sunshine Records


19.6 Standardization of Solar Radiometers


19.7 Commercial Solar Radiometers


19.8 Future Instrumentation


19.9 Summary of Milestones in Solar Radiometry


20. Fundamentals of Water Desalination


20.1 Introduction


20.2 Historical Summary


20.3 The Cost of Solar-Distilled Water


20.4 Configurations of Basin-Type Solar Stills


20.5 Prediction of Performance of Basin-Type Solar Stills


20.6 Solar Distillation with the Reuse of Heat Energy


20.7 The Use of Waste Heat in Solar Stills


20.8 Conclusion


21. The Economics of Solar Energy


21.1 Introduction


21.2 Economic Criteria


21.3 Cost of Some Solar Appliances


21.4 Conclusion

References

Index