Thermal performance of a solar oven with augmented sunlight concentration

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Brooks

This paper describes the thermal performance of a novel solar oven that incorporates a compact reflec-tive lens, or ring array, to augment sunlight concen-tration. Performance is reported in terms of the pos-itive effect of the ring array versus a non-concen-trating lid, maximum operating temperature, ther-mal efficiency, performance under partly cloudy skies, and the effects of incidence angle and track-ing. Use of the ring array lens improved thermal efficiency by 4% in the test range up to 100°C, while boosting the maximum operating temperature from 138°C to 196°C. Comparative tests conducted under clear sky conditions against two other com-mercial types showed that when tracked in the azimuth plane at near-normal incidence angles, the new design generated maximum cooking power of 300 W and boiled water at a rate 13% faster than the next best commercial oven tested. Augmented sunlight concentration sensitised the new design to higher angles of incidence and performance was negatively affected in the non-tracked state. Under non-ideal operating conditions, including partial shading by cloud, the oven outperformed both commercial units.

Author(s):  
P. Gaetani ◽  
G. Persico ◽  
A. Spinelli ◽  
A. Mora

In the frame of the European research project RECORD, the flow field within a HP axial-flow turbine model was investigated experimentally for several operating conditions. A number of studies on stator-rotor interaction in HP turbines for subsonic as well as transonic/supersonic conditions were proposed in the last decades, but none of them compared different conditions for the same geometry. In this paper, the transonic condition is investigated and compared to three subsonic ones, in the frame of an entirely new experimental campaign. The research was performed at the Laboratorio di Fluidodinamica delle Macchine of the Politecnico di Milano (Italy), where a cold-flow, closed-loop test rig is available for detailed studies on turbines and compressors. The boundary conditions resulted in keeping constant both the turbine inlet temperature and the stage outlet absolute flow direction; so far, while the expansion ratio was varied, the rotational speed was also modified accordingly. The analysis was performed by means of a conventional five hole probe in the stator – rotor axial gap and by a fast response aerodynamic probe downstream of the rotor. The local time-averaged and phase-resolved flow field was then derived and used to analyze the stage aerodynamics and performance. Results show that the stage expansion ratio has a dramatic impact on both the rotor aerodynamics and stage performance. In particular, Mach number effects are recognized in the stator cascade that passes from transonic to low subsonic conditions. On the rotor cascade the reduction of expansion ratio reduces significantly the Mach and Reynolds numbers and increases the incidence angle as well; the rotor loss mechanics as well as the vane-rotor interaction are greatly amplified. Correspondingly a significant variation of stage overall efficiency is recorded.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hafiz Ali ◽  
Mubashar Mahmood ◽  
Muhammad Bashir ◽  
Muzaffar Ali ◽  
Aysha Siddiqui

An experimental study has been carried out to measure the performance of commercially available photovoltaic modules during summer months in the climate of Taxila, near the capital of Pakistan. The modules used in the study are monocrystalline silicon (c-Si), polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) and single junction amorphous silicon (a-Si). The analysis has been focused on the measurement of module efficiency, performance ratio and temperature of each module at actual operating conditions using outdoor monitoring facility. The measured results are compared with the already published data of peak winter month at the same site. Overall, the monocrystalline module showed high average module efficiency while amorphous silicon module was better in term of average performance ratio. Furthermore, the module efficiency and performance ratio has shown decreasing trend with increase of module temperature. It was found that modules have much higher temperature in summer months (about 20?C higher) and showed low efficiency and performance ratio than peak winter month. The average ambient temperature varied from 18.1?C to 38.6?C from winter to summer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9918
Author(s):  
Chinnasamy Subramaniyan ◽  
Jothirathinam Subramani ◽  
Balasubramanian Kalidasan ◽  
Natarajan Anbuselvan ◽  
Thangaraj Yuvaraj ◽  
...  

The design of solar concentrating collectors for the effective utilization of solar energy is a challenging condition due to tracking errors leading to different divergences of the solar incidence angle. To enhance the optical performance of solar parabolic trough collectors (SPTC) under a diverged solar incidence angle, an additional compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is introduced as a secondary reflector. SPTC with CPC is designed and modeled for a single axis-tracking concentrating collector based on the local ambient conditions. In this work, the optical performance of the novel SPTC system with and without a secondary reflector is investigated using MATLAB and TRACEPRO software simulations for various tracking errors. The significance parameters such as the solar incidence angle, aperture length, receiver tube diameter, rim angle, concentration ratio, solar radiation, and absorbed flux are analyzed. The simulation results show that the rate of the absorbed flux on the receiver tube is significantly improved by providing the secondary reflector, which enhances the optical efficiency of the collector. It is found that the optical efficiency of the SPTC with a secondary reflector is 20% higher than the conventional collector system for a solar incidence angle of 2°. This work can effectively direct the choice of optimal secondary reflectors for SPTC under different design and operating conditions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 156-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. LaClair ◽  
C. Zarak

Abstract Operating temperature is critical to the endurance life of a tire. Fundamental differences between operations of a tire on a flat surface, as experienced in normal highway use, and on a cylindrical test drum may result in a substantially higher tire temperature in the latter case. Nonetheless, cylindrical road wheels are widely used in the industry for tire endurance testing. This paper discusses the important effects of surface curvature on truck tire endurance testing and highlights the impact that curvature has on tire operating temperature. Temperature measurements made during testing on flat and curved surfaces under a range of load, pressure and speed conditions are presented. New tires and re-treaded tires of the same casing construction were evaluated to determine the effect that the tread rubber and pattern have on operating temperatures on the flat and curved test surfaces. The results of this study are used to suggest conditions on a road wheel that provide highway-equivalent operating conditions for truck tire endurance testing.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-289
Author(s):  
N. V. Savenkov ◽  
V. V. Ponyakin ◽  
S. A. Chekulaev ◽  
V. V. Butenko

Introduction. At present, stands with running drums are widely used for various types of tests. Power stands play a special role. Such stands take the mechanical power from the driving wheels of the car. This simulates the process of movement of the vehicle under operating conditions. Such equipment has various designs, principles of operation and performance. It is also used in tests that are different by purpose, development stages and types: research, control, certification, etc. Therefore, it is necessary in order to determine the traction-speed, fuel-efficient and environmental performance characteristics.Materials and methods. The paper provides the overview of the power stands with running drums, which are widespread on the domestic market. The authors carried out the analysis of the main structural solutions: schemes of force transfer between the wheel and the drum; types of loading devices; transmission layout schemes and features of the control and measuring complex. The authors also considered corresponding advantages and disadvantages, recommended spheres of application, demonstrated parameters and characteristics of the units’ workflow, presented components and equipment.Discussion and conclusions. The authors critically evaluate existing models of stands with running drums. Such information is useful for choosing serial models of stands and for developing technical tasks for designing or upgrading the equipment.


2014 ◽  
pp. 298-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Petit

Bois-Rouge factory, an 8000 t/d cane Reunionese sugarcane mill, has fully equipped its filtration station with vacuum belt press filters since 2010, the first one being installed in 2009. The present study deals with this 3-year experience and discusses operating conditions, electricity consumption, performance and optimisation. The comparison with the more classical rotary drum vacuum filter station of Le Gol sugar mill highlights advantages of vacuum belt press filters: high filtration efficiency, low filter cake mass and sucrose content, low total solids content in filtrate and low power consumption. However, this technology needs a mud conditioning step and requires a large amount of water to improve mud quality, mixing of flocculant and washing of filter belts. The impact on the energy balance of the sugar mill is significant. At Bois-Rouge mill, studies are underway to reduce the water consumption by recycling low d.s. filtrate and by dry cleaning the filter belts.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 483
Author(s):  
Novie Ayub Windarko ◽  
Muhammad Nizar Habibi ◽  
Bambang Sumantri ◽  
Eka Prasetyono ◽  
Moh. Zaenal Efendi ◽  
...  

During its operation, a photovoltaic system may encounter many practical issues such as receiving uniform or non-uniform irradiance caused mainly by partial shading. Under uniform irradiance a photovoltaic panel has a single maximum power point. Conversely under non-uniform irradiance, a photovoltaic panel has several local maximum power points and a single global maximum power point. To maximize energy production, a maximum power point tracker algorithm is commonly implemented to achieve the maximum power operating point of the photovoltaic panel. However, the performance of the algorithm will depend on operating conditions such as variation in irradiance. Presently, most of existing maximum power point tracker algorithms work only in a single condition: either uniform or non-uniform irradiance. This paper proposes a new maximum power point tracker algorithm for photovoltaic power generation that is designed to work under uniform and partial shading irradiance conditions. Additionally, the proposed maximum power point tracker algorithm aims to provide: (1) a simple math algorithm to reduce computational load, (2) fast tracking by evaluating progress for every single executed duty cycle, (3) without random steps to prevent jumping duty cycle, and (4) smooth variable steps to increase accuracy. The performances of the proposed algorithm are evaluated by three conditions of uniform and partial shading irradiance where a targeted maximum power point is located: (1) far from, (2) near, and (3) laid between initial positions of particles. The simulation shows that the proposed algorithm successfully tracks the maximum power point by resulting in similar power values in those three conditions. The proposed algorithm could handle the partial shading condition by avoiding the local maxima power point and finding the global maxima power point. Comparisons of the proposed algorithm and other well-known algorithms such as differential evolution, firefly, particle swarm optimization, and grey wolf optimization are provided to show the superiority of the proposed algorithm. The results show the proposed algorithm has better performance by providing faster tracking, faster settling time, higher accuracy, minimum oscillation and jumping duty cycle, and higher energy harvesting.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3863
Author(s):  
Tiago Alves ◽  
João Paulo N. Torres ◽  
Ricardo A. Marques Lameirinhas ◽  
Carlos A. F. Fernandes

The effect of partial shading in photovoltaic (PV) panels is one of the biggest problems regarding power losses in PV systems. When the irradiance pattern throughout a PV panel is inequal, some cells with the possibility of higher power production will produce less and start to deteriorate. The objective of this research work is to present, test and discuss different techniques to help mitigate partial shading in PV panels, observing and commenting the advantages and disadvantages for different PV technologies under different operating conditions. The motivation is to contribute with research, simulation, and experimental work. Several state-of-the-artsolutions to the problem will be presented: different topologies in the interconnection of the panels; different PV system architectures, and also introducing new solution hypotheses, such as different cell interconnections topologies. Alongside, benefits and limitations will be discussed. To obtain actual results, the simulation work was conducted by creating MATLAB/Simulink models for each different technique tested, all centered around the 1M5P PV cell model. The several techniques tested will also take into account different patterns and sizes of partial shading, different PV panel technologies, different values of source irradiation, and different PV array sizes. The results will be discussed and validated by experimental tests.


Author(s):  
Enzo Giacomelli ◽  
Massimo Schiavone ◽  
Fabio Manfrone ◽  
Andrea Raggi

Poppet valves have been used for a long time for very high pressure reciprocating compressors, as for example in the case of Low Density Polyethylene. These applications are very critical because the final pressure can reach 350 MPa and the evaluation of the performance of the machines is strongly connected to the proper operation and performance of the valve itself. The arrangement of cylinders requires generally a certain compactness of valve to withstand high fatigue stresses, but at the same time pressure drop and operating life are very important. In recent years the reliability of the machines has been improving over and over and the customers’ needs are very stringent. Therefore the use of poppet valves has been extended to other cases. In general the mentioned applications are heavy duty services and the simulation of the valves require some coefficients to be used in the differential equations, able to describe the movement of plate/disk or poppet and the flow and related pressure drop through the valves. Such coefficients are often determined in an experimental way in order to have a simulation closer to the real operating conditions. For the flow coefficients it is also possible today to use theoretical programs capable of determining the needed values in a quick and economical way. Some investigations have been carried out to determine the values for certain geometries of poppet valves. The results of the theory have been compared with some experimental tests. The good agreement between the various methods indicates the most suitable procedure to be applied in order to have reliable data. The advantage is evident as the time necessary for the theoretical procedure is faster and less expensive. This is of significant importance at the time of the design and also in case of a need to provide timely technical support for the operating behavior of the valves. Particularly for LDPE, the optimization of all the parameters is strongly necessary. The fatigue stresses of cylinder heads and valve bodies have to match in fact with gas passage turbulence and pressure drop, added to the mechanical behavior of the poppet valve components.


Author(s):  
H. Zimmermann ◽  
R. Gumucio ◽  
K. Katheder ◽  
A. Jula

Performance and aerodynamic aspects of ultra-high bypass ratio ducted engines have been investigated with an emphasis on nozzle aerodynamics. The interference with aircraft aerodynamics could not be covered. Numerical methods were used for aerodynamic investigations of geometrically different aft end configurations for bypass ratios between 12 and 18, this is the optimum range for long missions which will be important for future civil engine applications. Results are presented for a wide range of operating conditions and effects on engine performance are discussed. The limitations for higher bypass ratios than 12 to 18 do not come from nozzle aerodynamics but from installation effects. It is shown that using CFD and performance calculations an improved aerodynamic design can be achieved. Based on existing correlations, for thrust and mass-flow, or using aerodynamic tailoring by CFD and including performance investigations, it is possible to increase the thrust coefficient up to 1%.


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