The receiver is operated with a variable mass flow to maintain the design hot air temperature of approx. 680°C. In operation, first the thermal storage is charged to a certain level to have a backup for compensation of less or no solar radiation. In times of high solar radiation the receiver provides enough heat to […]

In spite of the current small contribution to the worldwide installed solar thermal power, the potential for providing heat to industrial application is really relevant. Looking at this new promising market, several studies on the potential for solar industrial process heat have been recently performed in different countries such as Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy and […]

The optimal orientation of a collector (e. g. south, tilted according to the latitude) is often not to choose. To take into account the local conditions (roof slope, roof orientation, site orientation) it often needs a compromise. CPC vacuum tube collectors have the advantage that they can compensate an unfavourable orientation with the smallest additional […]

The main purpose of the drying tests is to obtain a mathematical model that describes the performance of the dryer under any given condition. The drying curves can be modelled using theoretical or semi-theoretical equations [8]. The model expressions concern the simultaneous heat and mass transfer equations that describes the process. Moisture ratio equation is […]

C. Estrada1*, D. Riveros-Rosas1, J. Herrera-Vazquez2, Sergio Vazquez-Montiel2, Camilo A. Arancibia-Bulnes1, C. Perez-Rabago1, F. Granados-Agustfn. 1 Centro de Investigation en Energia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Av. Xochicalco s/n; Temixco, 62580 Morelos, Mexico. 2 Institute Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica. Luis Enrique Erro 1, Tonantzintla, A. P. 216, 72000 Puebla, Mexico. * Corresponding author, […]

Modern computer based simulation models have been developed and adapted to analyze the performance of solar-hybrid gas turbines in commercial system size [4]. Software tools have been developed for combined heliostat field and receiver layout. Some very interesting results have been presented by modeling the power plant with TRNSYS using the STEC model library for […]

The “ECOHEATCOOL” study [3] reports that about 30% of the total industrial heat demand is required at temperatures below 100 °C and 57% at temperatures below 400 °C. Moreover, in several industrial sectors, such as food, wine and beverage, transport equipment, machinery, textile, pulp and paper, the share of heat demand at low and medium […]

3.1. General remarks In general solar energy can be used the better the higher the temperature level is. Even if it can be used exceptionally at low temperatures, e. g. for swimming pool heating, for water heating resp. preheating, for preheating for room heating support or for increase of the back-flow temperature, these processes could […]