Thermal performance study of a vacuum integrated solar storage collector (ISSC) with compound parabolic concentrator (CPC)

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Energy Storage in PCM Wall Used in Buildings’ Application: Opportunity and Perspective

This chapter deals with the investigation of the effect of a PCM wall on building indoor thermal comfort. To achieve this objective, an experimental framework was installed in the laboratory of thermal processes in Borj Cedria, Tunisia, which is essentially composed of a test cell having the dimension (0.5, 0.5, 0.5 m3) conceived with a new structure of wallboards. One of the sides of the test cell is a cavity filled with PCM-27, which represents the PCM wall. A numerical investigation by using specific FORTRAN program was also achieved to solve the energy and the exergy mathematic relations to evaluate the PCM wall performances. TRNSYS simulation program was also achieved to simulate the behavior of the integration of the PCM wall in a typical modern house according to Tunisian scenario. It is found that during the hottest period of the day, the temperature of the tested room with PCM wall achieves 25°C, while that without PCM wall exceeds 27°C. During the night, the temperature of the tested room, with PCM wall, decreases in the value of 20°C. It was also found that during the night, the kid’s room with PCM wall is reduced by 8°C

An experimental and a numerical analysis of the dynamic behavior of PCM-27 included inside a vertical enclosure: Application in space heating purposes

The paper deals with the study of the heat transfer phenomena within a vertical enclosure containing PCM integrated inside a test cell with the dimension of (0.5, 0.5, 0.5 m3). An experimental framework was conceived and installed in the Thermal Processes Laboratory in Borj Cedria, Tunisia. The experimental investigation was carried out by measuring the temperature and the heat fluxes exchanged throughout the PCM vertical enclosure. It was found that during the heating phase the temperature inside the test cell equipped with the PCM vertical enclosure is about 28 \ub0C. It was also found that once the PCM vertical enclosure is omitted the cell temperature inside the test cell ranges between 29 and 40 \ub0C. A complete model was also formulated by taking into account various modes of heat transfer inside the PCM vertical enclosure. The numerical model was performed by following the temperature changes at the bottom position and at the high position of the PCM vertical enclosure. The numerical model followed also the evolution of the melting front during the melting process. The model was then exploited for the evaluation of the melting front evolution during the charging and the discharging processes. Another TRNSYS simulation was achieved to evaluate the feasibility of integrating the PCM vertical enclosure in a real building envelop. The results of the TRNSYS simulation showed that the integration of a well dimensioned PCM vertical enclosure enhances the thermal comfort of the occupant by reducing the thermal fluctuation and by improving the thermal inertia of the walls

Energetic, exergetic and economic analysis of an innovative Solar CombiSystem (SCS) producing thermal and electric energies: Application in residential and tertiary households

The endeavor of this paper is to study of the potential offered by the expenditure of an innovative Solar CombiSystem, SCS, used for the space heating load, the domestic hot water supply and the electric energy production. The investigation achieved in this work was based on an experimental and a simulation studies. A TRNSYS simulation program was achieved in order to evaluate the SCS monthly/annual thermal and electric performances. It was found that the proposed SCS covered between 20 and 45% of the SH energy needs by considering only solar energy. The result shows also that the SCS provided from 40 to 70% of the total DHW needs. It was also found that the SCS electric production ranged between 32 and 225 MJ/m2with a gain factor varying between 49 and 125%. An economic appraisal was also achieved to appraise the SCS feasibility. The results of the economic analysis show that the annual energy saved (ARE) and the payback period (Pb) based on electric water heater were respectively equal to 7618.3 kW h/year and 10.2 years. It was found that ARE and Pb based on gas/gas town were about 5825 m3and 8.7 years, respectively. The results of the economic analysis shows that the adoption of the SCS saves about 48% of electric energy and about 46% of gas/gas town kept back by the conventional system

Estimation of global horizontal irradiance using satellite-derived data across Middle East-North Afirica: therole of aerosol optical properties and site-adaptation methodologies

Middle East e North Africa (MENA) region is characterized by increasing energy demand combined with high energy costs and short reserves of fossil fuels. Hence, the knowledge of the spatial and temporal variability of Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI) is necessary for assessing the efficiency of alternative energy sources. In this study, satellite retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, versions 6 and 6.1) and radiative transfer model simulations are used to evaluate the effect of aerosol optical properties on GHI under cloud-free conditions in the MENA region. The modeled GHI is validated against ground-based measurements at six MENA sites. Due to induced uncertainties in modeled GHIs, two site-adaptation methodologies (Empirical Quantile Mapping-EQM and Linear Least Squares-LIN) are further evaluated to diminish the systematic and dispersion errors. EQM is revealed to be more efficient, causing a significant correction to the statistical distribution of the modeled GHI. For almost all sites, modeled GHI values present the best statistical results when MODIS version 6.1 is used

Hybrid CSP—PV Plants for Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria

Hybrid concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) plants are gaining relevance because they combine their advantages: easy installation and low cost of PV plus dispatchability of CSP. This paper presents results of a techno-economic modelling of this hybrid approach for sites in Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria. Local boundary conditions such as meteorology, cost and electricity demand have been considered to determine the best configurations for these three sites. Different CSP technologies with thermal energy storage have been selected. Hybridization with natural gas has also been included. The optimization is done towards minimizing the LCOE while covering the electrical demand 24/7. Results are presented for different CO2 emissions ranges, as the use of fossil fuel has a strong impact on the LCOE and for environmental reasons, it may be preferred to be kept to a minimum. For most of the cases analyzed, the fraction of energy from PV that leads to minimum LCOE is lower than the energy from CSP. It is shown that for countries with a high fuel price, the use of natural gas reduces the LCOE until a share from this source of about 20%. A higher integration of fossil fuel for sites rich in solar irradiation is considered not advantageous if the price of natural gas is above EUR 40/MWh

Study about Hybrid CSP — PV plants for the MENA Region

This paper presents the outcomes of the project HYMENSO - Hybrid Concentrated Solar Thermal Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) plants for MENA Region -which had the main goal to investigate the optimal configuration of solar power plants for selected sites in Jordan, Tunisia and Algeria. This technology hybridization is becoming popular since it can harvest the advantages of both systems: easy installation and low LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) for PV, versatility and dispatchability of CSP. Additionally, fossil back-up with natural gas is also analyzed. The project HYMENSO was funded by the participants' countries in the framework of ERANETMED. This paper presents results with focus on the simulation of the hybrid CSP-PV systems, due to its innovative character and current relevance. It has been demonstrated that there are many configuration options for hybridizing CSP and PV systems, therefore requiring the definition of further boundary conditions to determine an optimum, such as limitation of CO 2 emissions in case that fossil back-up is used, expected satisfaction of the electricity demand, available land or water limitations. Important to notice is that for countries with a high fossil fuel price, the hybridization with natural gas reduces the overall LCOE only until a share of the generated energy of about 20%, higher use of fossil fuel is for such sites rich in solar irradiation not of noticeable advance

The enerMENA Meteorological Network - Solar Radiation Measurements in the MENA Region

Solar irradiance and ancillary meteorological data are needed for solar resource assessment. Accurate measurements are required for comparison and adjustment of long‐term satellite data. Furthermore, reliable irradiance measurements are needed to validate Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) forecasting methods. Starting in 2010, ten meteorological stations have been installed in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) within the enerMENA projec