PhD Research Work On

Concentrating Solar System with Heat Storage for Small Scale application

Asfafaw Haileselassie Energy and Process Engineering, NTNU

Asfafaw.haileselassie@ntnu.no EnPe Annual Meeting Maputo , May 2nd -3rd, 2012

Content

Introduction The PhD Research PhD work Status to date and Challenges Conclussion

Introduction • This PhD study is part of the ongoing EnPe project between

NTNU and Mekelle University (MU). • This work is somehow a continuation of NTNU and MU’s

research on solar energy applications. • Recent researches show that cooking and baking energy supply

needs an optional solution in Ethiopia to ensure environmental safety.

85%

15%

N.B The rural people are looking for a chip energy supply for baking.

The PhD Research

Objective 1. Design and Construction of robust

concentrating solar system 2. Study of high temperature heat storage for

small scale solar thermal applications 3. study feasible HTF to Charge and discharge storage Charge application

4. Test the performance of the system

• The PhD study limited to: A two Axis tracking parabolic dish collector A fixed receiver Water (steam) HTF A solar salt (60% NaNO3 and 40% KNO3) heat storage

and A backing Injera stove will be constructed, tested and

determined the efficiency

Scope of the PhD Research?

Methodology 1. Concentrator modeling and optimization Ray tracer will be used as optimizing tool

2. Thermal modeling and simulation COMSOL Multiphysics modeling will be used for

modeling and simulation

3. Laboratory setup Developing working prototype Scientific Measurement and test compilation

Table 1: Work plan/work schedule of PhD study

PhD status to date

• The Research has gone with a year since its kick off and do the following in this period. – Took some course work and – Literature review – Develop the PhD plan – Start building a system

• Mekelle

• Opportunities – Building the setup creates an opportunity for

EnPe master students to work their thesis on: • Steam as HTF • PCM storage

• Challenges in Mekelle – Material constraint

• Stainless steel • Measuring instruments • Solar salt • Reflecting film • Material procurement mainly with supplier and custom

• NTNU

• In the up coming summer – Charging storage artificially/real sun – Charging application by steam real/artificially – discharging storage and charging application

• Challenges – Shortage of man power in the laboratory – Crazy weather to do real sun test

Conclusions and recommendations

• In the first stage of the study, it is good if it focuses at a certain institutions (hospitals, universities, hotels, or Injera bakeries)

• The system should be Safe and robust that can be operated by any layman

• It is highly recommended the laboratory set up developed at NTNU should be accompanied by a full scale prototype in Mekelle for demonstration.

• Priming the solar salt by solar energy should be tested at Mekelle.