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Stirling engine and high efficiency collectors for solar thermal. Mike He, Achintya Madduri, Seth Sanders. Motivation. Thermal storage is highly dense, cost-effective Flexible input – can use gas, solar, or electricity Storage medium is cheap Contributes to building slack
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Stirling engine and high efficiency collectors for solar thermal Mike He, Achintya Madduri, Seth Sanders
Motivation • Thermal storage is highly dense, cost-effective • Flexible input – can use gas, solar, or electricity • Storage medium is cheap • Contributes to building slack • Predictable, controllable generation • Reversible process allows off-peak storage • Can reduce fossil fuel footprint • Can use solar input • Waste heat can be utilized
System Schematic • Non-tracking collector • Low cost Thermal energy storage • Stirling engine generates electricity, waste heat
Project Goals • Design, Build, and Test Stirling engine prototype to demonstrate efficiency and low cost • Design and test passive concentrator design for higher efficiency • Evaluate commercialization potential
Novel Design Challenges • Designing for high efficiency, given low temperatures from distributed solar • High importance of low cost and long lifetime design • Improve commercially available collectors with passive concentrators
Stirling Cycle Overview 4 1 2 3
Collector and Engine Efficiency Collector with concentration G = 1000 W/m2 (PV standard) Schott ETC-16 collector Engine: 2/3 of Carnot eff. No Concentration
Concentrator for Evacuated Tube Absorber • Passive involute-shaped concentrator • Produces concentration ratio ~pi in ideal case • Can reduce # tubes by concentration ratio • Lowers losses and/or increases operating temperature, improving efficiency
Cost Comparison – no concentration Solar Thermal Photovoltaic With concentrator: expect substantial cost and area reduction due to efficiency increase Source: PV data from Solarbuzz
Electrical/Thermal Conversion and Storage Technology and Opportunities • Electricity Arbitrage – diurnal and faster time scales • LoCal market structure provides framework for valuation • Demand Charges avoided • Co-location with variable loads/sources relieves congestion • Avoided costs of transmission/distribution upgrades and losses in distribution/transmission • Power Quality – aids availability, reliability, reactive power • Islanding potential – controlling frequency, clearing faults • Ancilliary services – stability enhancement, spinning reserve
Comparison of Water Heating Options “Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: Condensed Online Version” American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. August 2007. <http://www.aceee.org/Consumerguide/waterheating.htm >.
Ex. 3: Waste heat recovery + thermal storage Waste heat stream 100-250 C or higher Thermal Reservoir Electric generation on demand Heat Engine Converter Domestic Hot Water ? • Huge opportunity in waste heat
Solar Dish: 2-axis track, focus directly on receiver (engine heat exchanger) Photo courtesy of Stirling Energy Systems.
Stirling Cycle Overview 4 1 2 3
Residential Example • 30 sqm collector => 3 kWe at 10% electrical system eff. • 15 kW thermal input. Reject 12 kW thermal power at peak. Much larger than normal residential hot water systems – would provide year round hot water, and perhaps space heating • Hot side thermal storage can use insulated (pressurized) hot water storage tank. Enables 24 hr electric generation on demand. • Another mode: heat engine is bilateral – can store energy when low cost electricity is available. Potential for very high cyclability.
Gamma-Type Free-Piston Stirling Displacer Power piston • Temperatures: Th=175 oC, Tk=25 oC • Working fluid: Air @ ambient pressure • Frequency: 3 Hz • Pistons • Stroke: 15 cm • Diameter: 10 cm • Indicated power: • Schmidt analysis 75 W (thermal input) - 25 W (mechanical output) • Adiabatic model 254 W (thermal input) - 24 W (mechanical output)
Collector Cost – no concentration • Cost per tube [1] < $3 • Input aperture per tube 0.087 m2 • Solar power intensity G 1000 W/m2 • Solar-electric efficiency 10% • Tube cost $0.34/W • Manifold, insulation, bracket, etc. [2] $0.61/W • Total $0.95/W [1] Prof. Roland Winston, also direct discussion with manufacturer [2] communications with manufacturer/installer
Related apps for eff. thermal conv • Heat Pump • Chiller • Refrigeration • Benign working fluids in Stirling cycle – air, helium, hydrogen