This document outlines the course topics, schedule, and assignments for a class on solar thermal power. Over 5 weeks, the course will cover key concepts of solar energy conversion and solar resource assessment. It will then examine various solar thermal technologies like parabolic troughs, central receiver systems, and parabolic dish-Stirling systems. The course will also discuss the integration of solar thermal power plants through thermal storage and hybridization. Students will complete weekly tests, give project presentations, and submit a final written report.

1. GEEN
4830.
SOLAR
THERMAL
POWER
Term
B
July
5-­‐Aug.
5,
2011
Course
Outline
Date
Topic
Assignments
/
Tests
07/05/11-­‐ Course
Introduction-­‐
Week
#
1
Key
Concepts:
energy,
renewable
energy,
climate
change,
resource
depletion,
solar
energy
conversion
Solar
Radiation
#1.
The
Sun.
Sun-­‐Earth
geometry.
Measurement
of
solar
radiation.
07/06/11-­‐ Solar
Radiation
#2.
Solar
radiation
models.
Evaluation
Week
#
1
and
estimation
of
the
solar
resource
07/07/11-­‐ Brief
Review
of
Basic
Thermodynamic
and
heat
Week
#
1
Transfer
Topics-­‐
High
Temperature
Solar
Thermal
Systems
#1
Thermal
conversion
of
solar
radiation.
The
concentration
of
solar
radiation.
Overview
of
solar
concentrating
technologies.
Solar
Thermal
Power
Plants
07/12/11-­‐ Parabolic
Troughs
#1.
Technology
Description.
Weekly
Test
#1
Week
#
2
Economics
07/13/11-­‐ Parabolic
Troughs
#2.
Introduction
to
the
design
and
Week
#
2
analysis
of
PT
power
plants
07/14/11-­‐ Linear
Fresnel
Reflectors.
Technology
description.
Week
#
2
Economics
07/19/11-­‐ Central
Receiver
Systems
#1.
Technology
description.
Weekly
Test
#2
Week
#3
Economics.
07/20/11-­‐ Central
Receiver
Systems
#2.
Introduction
to
the
Week
#3
design
and
analysis
of
CRS
power
plants
07/21/11-­‐ Parabolic
Dish
-­‐
Stirling
Systems.
Technology
Week
#3
Description.
Economics.
07/26/11-­‐ Integration
of
Solar
Thermal
Power.
Dispatchability.
Week
#4
Thermal
Storage.
Hybridization
07/27/11-­‐ Simulation
tools
I
Week
#4
07/28/11-­‐ Simulation
tools
II
Weekly
Test
#3
Week
#4
08/02/11-­‐ Final
Exam
Final
Exam
Week#5
08/03/11-­‐ Project
presentations
I
week
#
5
08/04/11-­‐ Project
presentations
II-­‐
Written
report
due
Week#5
(Electronic)