DIT PhD/Doctoral Project
Supervisor name & contact details:
Name: Dr. Mick Mc Keever
Tel: 01 4024941
Email: Mick.McKeever@dit.ie
Weblink (if available)
Research Centre Name and Website (if
applicable)
Dublin Energy Lab
Funding Agency
Scholarship Details
None
Subject Area
Energy
Title of the Project
Solar Powered Transpired Air collector Control
System
Project Description (max 300 words)
Aim: This project investigates the integration of closed loop control strategies to maximise the
discharge temperature of air heated by solar energy for a multiple unit solar air heating system.
The objective of this PhD project is to integrate control and modelling with field trial data to
determine the best controller strategies that harness the maximum available solar power both
daily and seasonally.
A new designed air heating solar collector comprised of an inverted perforated absorber and an
asymmetric compound parabolic concentrator is used to increase the intensity of solar radiation
incident on the perforated absorber. This research project is focused on maximising the solar
radiation heat transfer by controlling a combination air flow, air pressure, and air temperatures
under varying solar power inputs.
Project Milestones: The project milestones listed in chronological order are:
1. Literature review of the state of the art of:
a. Transpired air solar collectors.
b. SISO and MIMO closed loop control.
c. Solar air heater modelling, simulation and validation.
2. Construction of 3 unit Transpired Air Solar Concentrator units (TASC).
3. Open loop testing of the TASC system for model data collection, validation and
verification.
4. Modelling of the TASC in Simulink.
5. Design of the closed loop controller hardware (PLC, instrumentation and actuators).
6. Experimental testing of the TASC system with SISO closed loop control.
7. Validation of SISO controller strategies for the TASC against experimental data sets.
8. Design of Model reference control strategy to control the TASC.
9. Validation of the MIMO controller using real experimental data sets.
Please indicate the student requirements for this project
Min 2.1 Level 8 accredited Engineering Degree in Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical or
Mechatronics .
Or
Equivalent Engineering degree with a good working knowledge of automation, control and the
fundamentals of heat transfer. A good understanding of dynamic systems modelling and
simulation is a benefit.
Software Knowledge: A number of software packages will be used to complete the tasks within
this PhD project. These are:
1. Matlab: Used for data processing, analysis, and presentation within the Thesis
document.
2. Simulink and control system toolboxes: Modelling and simulation of the TASC system
dynamics. Design, modelling and simulation of the control systems.
3. Autocad or SolidWorks: Design drawings for the TASC hardware and system schematic
drawings.
4. Word or Latex: Publication and dissemination of research work, reports and final thesis.
Deadline to submit applications (only for
funded projects)
Please choose College as appropriate
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