Solar Energy Conversion Systems (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Half Title 2
Quote Page 3
Title Page 4
Copyright 5
Contents 6
Acknowledgements 12
01 Introduction 14
Design Concept 15
Instructional Approach 18
Suggested Course Schedule with Text 21
Communication of Units and a Standard Solar Language 21
02 Context and Philosophy of Design 26
A Rationale and History for Design of SECS 26
Systems and Patterns 31
Systems Design 33
The Ethics of Sustainability 34
Ecosystem Services 37
Limitations of the Goal 39
Framework: Solar as Lighting Aid 40
Framework: Solar Rights and Access 43
Framework: Solar Power Entrepreneurs 45
Framework: Solar Ecosystem Services 47
Framework: Solar for Energy Independence 49
Problems 52
Recommended Additional Resources 53
03 Laws of Light 54
Light is a Pumping System 56
SECS and Light 61
Light is Directional 62
Light is Spectral 65
Light Decreases with Distance 68
Four Laws of Light 70
Kirchoff’s Law 71
Wien’s Displacement 72
Planck’s Law 73
Stephan-Boltzmann Equation and Fractions of Radiation 75
Problems 77
Recommended Additional Reading 79
04 Physics of Light, Heat, Work, and Photoconversion 80
Breakthrough: Not Light or Heat—Both 81
It’s in the History Books 82
Light for a Caloric Response 84
Materials in Energy Conversion Systems 86
Selective Surfaces and Graybodies: Opaque 87
Radiative Exchange for One Surface 90
Diffuse Gray Surface Approximation: 92
Radiative Exchange for Two Surfaces 96
Reflectivity and Reflectance for Semi-transparent Materials 100
Problems 108
Recommended Additional Reading 110
05 Meteorology: the Many Facets of the Sky 112
Air Masses 113
The Sky as Multiple Climate Regimes 117
No Sky Model 118
Blackbody Accounting (no sky cover) 119
A Change of Variables: 0–100 Round Numbers 121
Blackbody+Graybody Accounting (no sky cover) 123
Graybody Accounting with a Cover 125
Graybody Accounting with a Cover and a Leaky Valve 128
The Role of Clouds 131
Clear Sky Modeling 132
Components of Light 134
Hottel Clear Sky Beam Model (1976) 137
Bird Clear Sky Model (1981) 138
Spatio-Temporal Uncertainty 140
Robot Monkey DoesSpace-Time 141
Problems 145
Recommended Additional Reading 146
06 Sun-Earth Geometry 148
Experiment with a Laser 150
Spatial Relations 152
Spherical Coordinates 153
Earth-Sun Angles 156
Time Conversions 162
Daylight Savings Time Correction 165
Longitude Time Correction (t?) 167
Analemma Time Correction (Et) 168
Putting Time Correction Together 171
Moments, Hours, and Days 172
Finding Sunset, Day Length, and h0 174
Sun-Observer Angles 176
Collector-Sun Angles 183
A Comment on Optimal Tilt 184
Robot Monkey DoesSpherical Derivation! 186
Problems 189
Recommended Additional Reading 191
07 Applying the Angles to Shadows and Tracking 192
Shading Estimation 192
Projections of Spherical Data 193
Shading Estimation: Critical Point and Plotting 197
Wing Wall 198
Awning 201
Array Packing 203
Tracking Systems 205
Problems 210
Recommended Additional Reading 211
08 Measure and Estimation of the Solar Resource 212
Measuring Light 214
Measurement Terminology: 217
Meteorological Years: Collage of Data 218
Human Vision: Logarithmic Detection versus Linear 219
Gross Measure: Sunshine Duration 222
Pyranometer: Global Irradiance Measurements 224
Diffuse and Direct Normal Measures 227
Satellite Measures of Irradiation 228
Empirical Correlations for Components 230
Isotropic Diffuse Sky Model 232
Perez Anisotropic Model 233
Clearness Indices and Climate Regimes 234
Diffuse Fraction 239
When Empirical Correlations are not Appropriate 241
Robot Monkey doesNetwork Solar Resource Assessment! 243
Problems 246
Recommended Additional Reading 247
09 Solar Energy Economics 250
Flows and Stocks 254
The Value, Reserve, and Elasticity of Light 255
Energy Constraint and Response 262
So Many Goods: Co-Products and Co-Generation 264
Government and Markets 265
Managing the Grid 266
Externalities 268
Utility, Risk, and Return 269
Problems 274
Recommended Additional Reading 275
10 Solar Project Finance 276
Time Value of Money 277
Solar Savings 279
Life Cycle Cost Analysis 281
Costs and Savings 282
Discrete Analysis 285
Gotta Gotta Payback 290
Gains, Loads Losses 291
Solar Fraction 293
Continuous Analysis 294
Concept Review: 297
Problems 297
Recommended Additional Reading 298
11 The Sun as Commons 300
Goods and Values 302
Private Goods 305
Club Goods 306
Common-Pool Resource: 307
Public Goods 308
Managing the Commons 309
Framework: Enter the Client as Arbitrator 311
Framework: Emerging Local Policy Strategies 312
Framework: Systems Sustainability Assessment as LCA 313
Problems 317
Recommended Additional Reading 318
12 Systems Logic of Devices: Patterns 320
Pattern Language in Solar Energy Conversion Systems 322
Cavity Collectors—the pattern of rooms 323
Flat Plate Collector—The Pattern of Simple Surfaces 327
Tubular Collector—The Pattern of a Geometry Working with the Sun 328
Parasoleils—The Pattern of Shading 328
Problems 331
Recommended Additional Reading 331
13 Systems Logic of Devices: Optocalorics 332
Cover-Absorber: Optical Performance 334
Robot Monkey “Covers” Reflectivity of Polarized Light 341
Fin-Riser-Fluid: Thermal Performance 343
Collector Efficiency Factor: F?? 348
Collector Heat Removal Factor: FR 349
Putting It All Together 351
SHW Example 353
Problems 356
Recommended Additional Reading 359
14 Systems Logic of Devices: Optoelectronics 362
Changes in Electronic State 367
Photovoltaic Effect 368
Cell-Module-Array 369
PV Cell Characterization 371
Characteristic Measures of Cells and Arrays 374
PV Systems Integration and Simulation Tools 377
Intrinsic/Extrinsic Properties in PV 382
Robot Monkey does Minority Charge Carriers! 388
Metrics: Performance and Unit Costs 391
Capacity Factors: USA 393
Problems 395
Recommended Additional Reading 396
15 Concentration—The Pattern to Manipulate Light 400
Concentration Limits 401
Methods of Concentration 404
Mirrors and Lenses 405
The Case for Steam 408
CSP Performance 410
SCADA 413
Problems 413
Recommended Additional Reading 414
16 Project Design 416
Design 418
Policy 418
Economics 419
The Discovery Phase: Predesign 419
The Design Phase 421
Solving for Pattern 421
Solar Utility for the Client and Locale 422
Revisiting the Goal of Solar Design 424
Problems 425
Recommended Additional Reading 426
Appendix A: Energy Conversion Systems 428
Robot Monkey’s Last Stand: Heat Pumps, Heat Engines, Entropy, and Modern Thermodynamics 428
Entropy is not “Disorder” 433
State Parameters of Thermodynamics: Cakes and Boiled Eggs 434
Foundations of Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics 435
Assumptions for Modern Thermodynamics 436
Entropy Related to Thermodynamic Forces and Currents 437
The Flux Equations! Ji 438
Appendix B: Numeracy and Units in Solar Energy 440
Bibliography 454
Index 462
A 462
B 462
C 462
D 463
E 463
F 463
G 463
H 464
I 464
K 464
L 464
M 465
N 465
O 465
P 465
Q 467
R 467
S 467
T 469
U 470
W 470