Study on the Performance of Linear Fresnel Solar Collector with Sensible Thermal Energy Storage for Industrial Process Heat Generation

Abstract

Solar Thermal Energy To Supply Process Heat In Different Industrial Sectors Has Become Very Promising In Recent Years. Industries Can Reduce Their Fuel Consumption By Replacing Them With Solar Process Heat With Non-Conventional System Integration And Using Clean Energy. Ah-Wan Food Complex Is An Industry With Higher Thermal Energy Consumption Which Is Mainly Used In The Drying Stage Of The Pasta Production. Superheated Water At 140 ??C And 4.5 Bar Is Used To Control The Temperature And Humidity Conditions Of A Pasta Drying Tunnel. Currently, The Industry Uses A Conventional Boiler Which Has A Capacity Of 11kg/S With Average Annual Fuel Consumption Of 740,918 Liters, Costing Approximately 12 Million Birr. This Energy Demand Can Be Replaced Partially Or Wholly By A Solar Thermal System. This Thesis Presents A Performance Analysis Of Solar Thermal System Consists Of A Linear Fresnel Collector And Concrete Thermal Energy Storage For Industrial Process Heat Generation Based On Energy Requirement Of Ah-Wan Food Complex. A One-Dimensional Transient Numerical Model Is Developed For The Linear Fresnel Collector Accounting Of Optical And Thermal Losses And Coping Up With The Intermittent And Inherent Variable Solar Input. In Addition To That, A Transient Numerical Model Is Developed For Concrete Thermal Energy Storage Which Is Integrated With The Collector. The Models Were Solved Using A Finite Difference Scheme Which Is Implemented In A Python Program. Based On The Results From The Numerical Results In Adama Metrological Conditions 120 Modules Of Linear Fresnel Collector With An Aperture Area Of 2838 M2 Can Fulfill The Daily Energy Requirement Of The Factory (With 6 Hours Of Thermal Energy Storage). Besides, 98 M3 Of Concrete Thermal Energy Storage Is Required For 6 Hours Of Thermal Energy Storage. It Is Also Noticed That The Mass Flow Rate Is The Main Parameter To Control The Output Temperature From The Collector.