APPLICATION OF
SOLAR ENERGY
TOPIC:- SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
PREPARED BY:-KARTIK THAKKAR (09ME 13)
ANAND THAKKAR (09 ME 18)
TYPES OF SOLAR THERMAL
POWER PLANTS

OBJECTIVE

TO UTILISE SOLAR ENERGY FOR POWER GENERATION

METHODS

LOW TEMPERATURE SOLAR POWER PLANT USING FLAT
PLATE COLLECTOR
(600-1000)

MEDIUM TEMPERATURE SOLAR POWER PLANT USING
CONCENTRATED SOLAR COLLECTORS
(2500 - 4000, 10 - 30 KW)

HIGH TEMPERATURE SOLAR POWER PLANT USING TOWER
SYSTEM
(5000 - 7000,50 – 200 KW)
1. LOW TEMPERATURE SOLAR
POWER PLANTS

RANGE: 600 TO 1000 C

VERY LOW EFFICIENCY ABOUT 2% TO 3%

FLUIDS HAVING LOW BOILING TEMPERATURE
AT ATMOSPHRIC PRESSURE LIKE REFRIGERANT
R-11, BUTANE GAS.
(A) LOW TEMPERATURE FLAT
PLATE COLLECTOR SOLAR POWER
SYSTEM

SINCE THE WATER CAN BE ONLY HEATED 800 C IN
FLAT COLLECTORS, THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO USE
WORKING FLUID HAVING LOW BOILING TEMP. LIKE
A BUTANE GAS.

THE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF AN ARRAY OF FLAT PLATE
COLLECTORS AND CIRCULATING PUMP.

THE HEATEDWATER ISCIRCULATED IN A HEAT
EXCHANGER CALLED BUTANE BOILER, WHERE IT
GENERATES THE BUTANE GAS AT HIGH PRESSURE.

THEBUTANEGAS ISSUPPLIED TOA BUTANE TURBINE
TO PRODUCE MECH. POWER DUETO EXPANSION OF
BUTANE GAS.

THE VAPOURCOMING OUT OF THE TURBINE IS CONDENSED
IN A CONDENSER AND SENT BACK FOR RECIRCULATIION
WITH HELP OF BUTANE FEED PUMP.

THE MECHANICAL POWEROUTPUTOF TURBINE IS
CONVERTED INTO ELECTRIC POWER BY GENERATOR

THE BUTANE GAS IS SUPPLIED TO A BUTANE
TURBINE TO PRODUCE MECH. POWER DUETO
EXPANSION OF BUTANE GAS.

THE VAPOUR COMING OUT OF THE TURBINE IS
CONDENSED IN A CONDENSER AND SENT BACK FOR
RECIRCULATIION WITH HELP OF BUTANE FEED
PUMP.

THE MECHANICAL POWER OUTPUT OF TURBINE IS
CONVERTED INTO ELECTRIC POWER BY GENERATOR
(B) SOLAR POND ELECTRIC
POWER PLANT

THE SYSTEM WORKS ON RANKINE CYCLE USING
R-11 AS REFRIGERANT.

THE SYSTEM USES A SOLAR POND FOR
COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF SOLAR ENERGY.

THE HEAT OF HOT BRINE SOLUTION FROM
SOLAR POND IS USED TO EVAPORATE THE
WORKING SUBSTANCE R-11 AT CONSTANT
PRESSURE IN THE BOILER.

VAPOUR IS USED TO RUN THE VAPOUR TURBINE
TO PRODUCE MECHANICAL POWER WHICH IS
UTILIZED TO RUN A GENERATOR TO PRODUCE
THE ELECTRICAL POWER.

THE EXHAUST OF TURBINE IS CONDENSED IN
THE CONDENSOR AT CONSTANT PRESSURE
WITH THE HELP OF COOLING WATER.

THE CONDENSATE IS RETURNED TO THE BOILER
BY A PUMP AND CYCLE IS REPEATED AGAIN.

THEY ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR VERY LOW
POWER GENERATION HAVING VERY LOW
EFFICIENCY.
2. MEDIUM TEMPERATURE SOLAR
POWER PLANT

RANGE:- 250-400 C

PARABOLIC IN LINE FOCUSSING TYPE COLLECTORS
ARE USED AND GENERALLY PREFERRED BECAUSE OF
LAW COST AND REQUIRED SUN TRACKING IN ONE
PLANE ONLY.

WHERE PARABOLOID CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
HAVING HIGHER COST AND REQIRED SUN TRACKING
IN TWO PLANES.

THE SYSETM CONSIST OF LARGE PARABOLIC
TROUGH COLLECTORS DUELY INSTALLED SUN
TRACKING DEVICE TO COLLECT THE SOLAR
RADIATION WHICH IS USED TO HEAT A FLUID.

THE WATER IS EVAPORATED BY HEAT AND
CONVERTED INTO STEAM WHICH IS UTILISED TO
RUN A TURBINE COUPLED TO ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

THE EXHAUST STEAM OF TURBINE IS CONDENSED IN
THE CONDENSER WITH THE HELP OF COLD WATER
CIRCULATED IN THE CONDENSER.

THE HOT WATER LEAVING THE CONDENSE4R IS
EITHER SENT TO COLLING TOWER OR ITS HEAT
ENERGY CAN BE USED AS PROCESSED HEAT IOF THE
PLANT IS USED IN THE INDUSTRY.

THIS TYPE OF PLANT GENERALLY WORKS ON
RANKINE CYCLE BUT IT CAN ALSO RUN ON BRAYTON
USING AIR AS FLUID.

A 30 MW PLANT HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN
RAJASTHAN UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF NON
CONVENTIONAL ENERGY SOURCES.
3. HIGH TEMPERATURE THERMAL
POWER PLANTS
CAPACITY: 50 MW - 200 MW
(a) SOLAR THERMAL POWER PLANTS
USING DISH COLLECTORS
(b) CENTRAL TOWER RECEIVER
POWER PLANT USING HELIOSTATS
(a) SOLAR THERMAL POWER
PLANTS USING DISH COLLECTORS

THE SOLAR DISH COLLECTORS RECEIVE SOLAR
RADIATION WHICH ARE COLLECTED AT COMMON
FOCUSSING POINT.

SMALL VOLUME OF FLUID ARE HEATED TO HIGH
TEMPERATURE & HIGH PRESSURE AND THIS HEAT IS
UTILISED TO RUN A PRIME MOVER BASED ON THE
STIRLING CYCLE.

DUE LIMITATUION OF SIZE AND SMALL QUANTITY OF
FLUID DISH TYPE SOLAR POWER PLANTS ARE NOT
SUITABLE FOR GENERATION OF POWER BEYOND FEW KW.

THIS TYPE OF POWER PLANT HAS BEEN BUILT AT
HYDERABAD WHICH GENERATES 30 KW POWER AT ABOUT
30% EFFICIENCY.
(b) CENTRAL TOWER RECEIVER
POWER PLANT USING
HELIOSTATS

RANGE:- 600-700 C

IT USES AN ARRAY OF PLANE MIRRORS CALLED
HELIOSTATS WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALLY CONTROL AND
TRACKED TO REFLECT THE SOLAR RADIATION ON A
RECEIVER KEPT ON TOWER OF ABOUT 500m HEIGHT.

PRODUCED STEAM IS SUPPLIED IN A CONVENTIONAL
STEAM POWER PLANT COUPLED TO AN ELECRIC
GENERATOR TO GENERATE ELECTRIC POWER.

THE PRESENT COST OF POWER GENERATION IS VERY
HIGH UPTO 4.6 CRORES/MW.

A PILOT PLANT OF 50KW IS BUILT IN ITALY BUT WE CAN
GENERATE POWER UPTO 10 MW.