This document discusses power generation from solar thermal plants. It describes how solar thermal energy collectors are classified as low, medium, or high temperature based on their use. Low temperature collectors are used to heat pools, medium for water and air heating, and high temperature concentrate sunlight for electricity production. Heat is collected, stored, and transferred for power generation during the day and at night. Conversion rates from solar to electrical energy are highest for dish/Stirling systems at 31.25% and around 20% for trough and Fresnel systems. Applications include residential and commercial water and space heating.

1. Power Generation From
Solar Thermal Plants
PREPARED BY :-
TAUSIF ANWAR (100104135)
SUMIT KUMAR JHA (100104129)
VISHAL THAKUR (100104143)
VISHU BANSAL (100104144)

2. What is STE ?
 An innovative technology for harnessing
solar energy for thermal energy
 It is different from and much more efficient
than photovoltaics, which converts solar
energy directly into electricity

3. Classification of STE
 Solar thermal collectors are classified by
the United States Energy Information
Administration as:
a. Low-Temperature collectors
b. Medium-Temperature collectors
c. High-Temperature collectors

4. Low-Temperature collectors
Low-Temperature collectors are flat plates
generally used to heat swimming pools
They can also be used in space heating
They use air or water as the medium to
transfer the heat to their destination

5. Medium-Temperature collectors
Medium-temperature collectors are also
usually flat plates but are used for
heating water or air for residential and
commercial use.
It consists of
Solar Drying
Cooking
Distillation

6. High-Temperature collectors
High-temperature collectors concentrate
sunlight using mirrors or lenses and are
generally used for electric power
production.
It contains:
System designs
Parabolic trough designs
Power tower designs
Dish designs

7. Heat collection and exchange

8. Heat storage
 It allows a solar thermal plant to produce
electricity at night and on overcast days.
 It allows the use of solar power for baseload
generation as well as peak power
generation.
 Heat is transferred to a thermal storage
medium in an insulated reservoir during the
day, and withdrawn for power generation at
night .

9. Conversion rates from Solar
Energy to Electrical Energy
 Solar dish/Stirling engine has the highest energy
efficiency
 A single solar dish-Stirling engine produces as
much as 25 kW of electricity, with a conversion
efficiency of 31.25%
 Fresnel reflectors system has an efficiency of 19%
 Solar parabolic trough plants have been built with
efficiencies of about 20%

10. Applications
• The main use of this technology is in residential
buildings where the demand for heating has a
large impact on energy bills.
• Commercial applications include car washes,
military laundry facilities, eating establishments,
drying, distillation and pasteurization.
• The technology can also be used for space
heating if the building is located off-grid or if
utility power is subject to frequent outages.

11. • Solar water heating systems are most likely to
be cost effective for facilities with water heating
systems that are expensive to operate, or with
operations that require large quantities of hot
water.
• Less expensive materials such as plastic or
rubber can be used as heat collectors.
• While solar collectors are most cost-effective in
sunny, temperate areas, they can be cost
effective virtually anywhere.

12. Advantages of Solar Thermal
Energy
 No Fuel Cost
 Predictable,24/7 Power
 No Pollution and Global Warming Effects
 Using Existing Industrial Base

13. Disadvantages of Solar Thermal
Energy
 High Costs
 Future Technology has a high probability of
making CSP Obsolete
 Water Issue
 Ecological and Cultural Issues
 Limited Locations and Size Limitations
 Long Gestation Time Leading to Cost Overruns
 Financing