Solar Pond
Solar Pond
Solar Pond
SUBMITTED BY A. CEYLAN SERHADOGLU AND MER BYKKIDIK SUBMITTED TO PROF. DR. AHMET ECEVIT PHYS.471 SOLAR ENERGY FALL 2004
OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
2. WHAT A SOLAR POND IS
2.1 WORKING PRINCIPLE
4. APPLICATIONS
1. INTRODUCTION
The sun is the largest source of renewable energy
and this energy is abundantly available in all parts of the earth. It is in fact one of the best alternatives to the non-renewable sources of energy [1]. Solar energy has been used since prehistoric times, but in a most primitive manner. Before 1970, some research and development was carried out in a few countries to exploit solar energy more efficiently, but most of this work remained mainly academic [2].
several countries began to formulate extensive research and development programmes to exploit solar energy [2]. One way to tap solar energy is through the use of solar ponds. Solar ponds are large-scale energy collectors with integral heat storage for supplying thermal energy. It can be use for various applications, such as process heating, water desalination, refrigeration, drying and power generation [1]
efficiently than a body of water of the same size because the salinity gradient prevents convection currents. Solar radiation entering the pond penetrates through to the lower layer, which contains concentrated salt solution. The temperature in this layer rises since the heat it absorbs from the sunlight is unable to move upwards to the surface by convection. Solar heat is thus stored in the lower layer of the pond [4].
pond in which significant temperature rises are caused in the lower regions by preventing the occurrence of convection currents. The more specific terms salt-gradient solar pond or nonconvecting solar pond are also used. The solar pond, which is actually a large area solar collector is a simple technology that uses water- a pond between one to four metres deep as a working material for three main functions [6].
capacity spanning the seasons. The surface area of the pond affects the amount of solar energy it can collect. The bottom of the pond is generally lined with a durable plastic liner made from material such as black polythene and hypalon reinforced with nylon mesh. This dark surface at the bottom of the pond increases the absorption of solar radiation. Salts like magnesium chloride, sodium chloride or sodium nitrate are dissolved in the water, the concentration being densest at the bottom (20% to 30%) and gradually decreasing to almost zero at the top. Typically, a salt gradient solar pond consists of three zones [6].
that acts as solar collector/receiver and which is relatively the most shallow in depth and is generally close to ambient temperature, A gradient which serves as the non-convective zone which is much thicker and occupies more than half the depth of the pond. Salt concentration and temperature increase with depth, A lower convective zone with the densest salt concentration, serving as the heat storage zone. Almost as thick as the middle non-convective zone, salt concentration and temperatures are nearly constant in this zone [6].
absorbed by the surface at the bottom of the pond. The temperature of the dense salt layer therefore increases. If the pond contained no salt, the bottom layer would be less dense than the top layer as the heated water expands. The less dense layer would then rise up and the layers would mix. But the salt density difference keeps the layers of the solar pond separate. The denser salt water at the bottom prevents the heat being transferred to the top layer of fresh water by natural convection, due to which the temperature of the lower layer may rise to as much as 95C [6].
pond. This convecting pond differs from shallow solar ponds only in that the water need not be pumped in and out of storage. Double-glazing covers deep saltless ponds. At night, or when solar energy is not available, placing insulation on top of the glazing reduces heat loss [3].
lining absorb the solar radiation. As a result, the water near the bottom of the pond becomes warm up to 93.3C. Although all of the layers store some heat, the bottom layer stores the most. Even when it becomes warm, the bottom layer remains denser than the upper layers, thus inhibiting convection. Pumping the brine through an external heat exchanger or an evaporator removes the heat from this bottom layer. Another method of heat removal is to extract heat with a heat transfer fluid as it is pumped through a heat exchanger placed on the bottom of the pond [3].
membrane pond, inhibits convection by physically separating the layers with thin transparent membranes. As with salt gradient ponds, heat is removed from the bottom layer [2]. In figure 2 you can see an example of salt gradient solar pond.
4. APPLICATIONS
Salt production (for enhanced evaporation or
purification of salt, that is production of vacuum quality salt) Aquaculture, using saline or fresh water (to grow, for example, fish or brine shrimp) Dairy industry (for example, to preheat feed water to boilers) Fruit and vegetable canning industry Fruit and vegetable drying (for example, vine fruit drying) Grain industry (for grain drying) Water supply (for desalination) [4].
Process heat
Studies have indicated that there is excellent scope for process heat applications (i.e. water heated to 80 to 90 C.), when a large quantity of hot water is required, such as textile processing and dairy industries. Hot air for industrial uses such as drying agricultural produce, timber, fish and chemicals and space heating are other possible applications [6].
Desalination
Drinking water is a chronic problem for many villages in India. In remote coastal villages where seawater is available, solar ponds can provide a cost-effective solution to the potable drinking water problem. Desalination costs in these places work out to be 7.5paise per litre, which compares favourably with the current costs incurred in the reverse osmosis or electrodialysis/desalination process [6].
Refrigeration
Refrigeration applications have a tremendous scope in a tropical country like India. Perishable products like agricultural produce and life saving drugs like vaccines can be preserved for long stretches of time in cold storage using solar pond technology in conjunction with ammonia based absorption refrigeration system [6].
successfully demonstrated the use of a solar pond to supply heat to an actual industrial user. But, sadly, the Bhuj solar pond, constructed by the Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), today lies in disuse for want of financial support and government policy to help this eco-friendly technology grow [9].
have been involved in the project, performing tasks ranging from construction to applied research. In addition, numerous students have done projects related to the pond, gaining valuable experience in equipment design and construction, lab techniques, problem solving, instrumentation, and documentation [10].
its commercial salt production but also for aquaculture, specifically producing brine shrimps for stock feed. It is planned in a subsequent stage of the project to generate electricity using the heat stored in the solar pond, thus making this local industry more energy self-sufficient. At the local level this will be a significant boost in an area with high unemployment and a depressed economy [12].
most abundant and considerable research is being carried out in this area. In figure 7 you can see a table which is comparing initial costs of different water heating systems. And in figure 8 the annual maintenance and fuel expenses and, the sum of these expenses for different water heating systems (1991 prices) [14].
Fig. 8 Annual Maintenance And Fuel Expenses And The Sum Of These Expenses For Different Water Heating Systems (1991 Prices).
dramatically cheaper than other disposal methods, may still be a viable option especially in circumstances where the unit cost of power is very high or where access to a power grid is limited. Moreover, the actual cost of utilizing SGSPs may be lower than reported when other factors are taken into account, such as savings incurred by bypassing the waste disposal permitting process, the environmental savings associated with using a renewable fuel, or tax breaks that may be developed for facilities that use renewable fuels [11].
area. Thermal storage is incorporated into the collector and is of very low cost. Diffuse radiation (cloudy days) is fully used. Very large surfaces can be built thus large scale energy generation is possible. Expensive cleaning of large collector surfaces in dusty areas is avoided [15].
8. CONCLUSION
Solar ponds can be effectively used as
replacements in industries that use fossil fuel to generate thermal energy. Solar ponds can be used for process heating, refrigeration, water desalination, production of magnesium chloride, bromine recovery from bittern, enhancement of salt yield in salt farms. It will be the future energy source.
REFERENCES
1.http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/renew/pon
d.htm 2.http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/renew/sola r.html 3.http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/fac tsheets/aa8.html 4.http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse/Our%20Orga nisation%2FFaculties%2FEngineering%2FSchool s%20and%20Departments%2FAerospace,%20M echanical%20and%20Manufacturing%20Engine ering%2FResearch%20and%20Development%2 FSolar%20Pond/
5.[http://www.poemsinc.org/FAQsalinity.html#2 6.http://mhatwar.tripod.com/thesis/solar/solar_
10.http://www.solarpond.utep.edu
11.http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/re
cp/solar/three.html 12.http://wrri.nmsu.edu 13.http://www.ece.utep.edu/research/Energy/P ond/pond.html 14.http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/physics/issues/ fiz-98-22-6/fiz-22-6-6-97061.pdf 15.http://www.teriin.org/case/solar.htm