Design and Characterizations of Solar Steam Engine

KIM JEFF D. BERINGUEL

July 2021
Abstract- In this paper a conceptual design of solar steam dish concentrated ( 2
m2 ) area was used .With cylindrical receiver as a solar boiler and two axis
tracking system .the experimental were conductance from 80-150 °C under a
mean solar flux of (250 -780 W/m2) concentration product analysis of this
innovative solar boiler applied drive to steam engine. We have found that overall
efficiency of the conversion from direct solar irradiation energy to above 20%.

Keywords- Solar energy, solar dish, electrical generation, steam engine, solar
steam generator, Characteristic curve

I. INTRODUCTION

The rapid growth and change in the energy utilization sector with its related

impact on environmental awareness have lead to more interest in the utilization

of renewable energies cooling techniques in the last years with a focus on solar

energy. In 2006 presented the most recent over view of possible technologies for

solar powered refrigeration and air–conditioning systems [1]. Throughout the

literature, studies with water as working refrigerant in solar driven were

reported [2-3]. In 2008, optical and thermal losses occurring in collector affect

the performance of focusing type collector [4]. Today, several companies work

on parabolic trough systems such as Solel [5], Schott

[6], Acciona [7] Euro Trough [8] and Archimed Solar Energy [9]. Just to mention

some of them, manufacturers offers various kinds of collectors, with different

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performances and temperature operation ranges. Thermal power plan costs are

still high and mainly related to the solar field. In recent years, the idea of

analyzing a fuel cell –based energy conversion system by mean of an energy

analysis has become popular[10-12].In particular when dealing with solar –

powered fuel cell system ,an energetic analysis simply based on the first law of

thermodynamics neglects a major point :a fair comparison and evaluation is

needed for different qualities of energy namely solar irradiance ,chemical energy

stored in fuels ,heat and finally electrical energy[13-15]. These different forms of

energy provide different availabilities to be converted to useful work. The solar

driven steam jet ejector chiller (SJEC) is a new device for solar airconditioning

[16]. The purpose of this work is to analyze and optimize a small, portable solar

steam engine as well as the influence of the intensity of solar radiation.

A. Theory concepts

The basic principle adopted in the construction of the parabolic dish solar steam

is that when parallel

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rays of light from the sun close to and parallel to the principal axis are incident on

a concave or parabolic shaped mirror, they converge or come together after

reflection to a point (F) on the principal axis called the principal focus as shown in

Figure 1.

Fig. 1 Parabolic Dish, where F represents Principal Focus, C is Centre of

Curvature, and w is Aperture is the width of the pole (p).

B. Collector Efficiency

The solar energy collection efficiency (ηcol) of both thermal collectors and

photovoltaic collectors is defined as the ratio of the rate of useful thermal energy

leaving the collector, to the useable solar irradiance falling on the aperture area.

Simply stated, collector efficiency is:

(1)

is the rate of (useful) energy output

(W)
Aa = aperture area of the collector (m2)
Ia = solar irradiance falling on collector aperture (W/m2)

This general definition of collector efficiency differs depending on the type of

collector. The rate of useful energy output from thermal collectors is the heat

addition to a heat transfer fluid as defined by equation (3) whereas the useful

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energy output of a photovoltaic collector is electrical power defined in equation

(5). The incoming solar irradiance falling on the collector aperture I a multiplied by

the collector aperture area represents the maximum amount of solar energy that

could be captured by that collector to a heat transfer fluid passing through the

receiver or absorber [17].

(2)

is mass flow rate of heat transfer fluid

( kg/s ) cp - specific heat of heat transfer fluid (J/kg.K)

Tout - temperature of heat transfer fluid leaving the absorber (K)

Tin - temperature of heat transfer fluid entering the absorber (K)

These losses are shown schematically in Figure 2.

Fig. 2 Energy balance on a solar collector absorber / receiver

An energy balance of a photovoltaic cell incorporated within a panel can be

written as:
 ( w) (3)
where i - electrical current through the cell (amps) v - voltage across the

cell (volts)

C. Convection

Convection transfers energy from the absorber surface directly to the air in

contact with it. When the air is stationary it is referred to as natural convection

and when it is in motion it is referred to as forced convection. Equation (4) gives

the heat loss due to natural convection for a cavity [18]

(4)

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Gr = Grashoff number

L= Characteristic length of aperture opening

(diameter
) directive irradiation from the sun into steam. This

subsystem is presented in Figure 1. The subsystem

consists of one solar concentrator units mounted on

a concretebase[19], with associatedfeedwater.

Waterfrom the high pressurefeed watertank is

g= Gravity
forced by pump into carbon steel steam pipes on the

◦ solar concentrator
units via [Link] the
At a tilt angle of = 90 (vertical), the air inside a

cavity becomes trapped. The hot buoyant air inside the cavity cannot escape and
convection losses are nearly eliminated. As the tilt angle decreases ( < 90 ◦)
a dramatic increase in heat loss occurs as the lighter air begins escaping from the

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cavity. In this case buoyancy works to aid in heat loss. To reduce convective
losses a translucent cover can be placed over the aperture. A cover allows the
insulation to transmit through the material while trapping gas inside. Convection
would still occur at the surface of the cover, but it would be reduced due to the
reduction in exposed surface area.
Convective loss can be calculated in this case by modeling the cover as a Inclined
at plate. Using equation(9) gives the Nusselt number for an inclined at plate,
which can be used with equation(4) to calculate convective losses compares the
energy loss for an open and covered cavity.

All properties are evaluated at a reference temperature Te, except for which is

evaluated at T

(11)

(12)

II. EXPERIMENTAL WORK

A. Solar Collector

The primary power source for the acquisition system is a solar collector subsystem

that converts

solar collector units track the sun via a two degreeof-freedom (DOF) azimuth and

zenith hinge system,-sunlight striking the parabolic mirrors dish with solar boilers

at the focal length, which have a black coating. Much of the reflected irradiation

incident on the focus is conducted through the surface of the pipes it connect

with storage tanked. This steam bubbles back through the insulated steam hoses

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and through the high pressure feedwater tank to the steam engine, bypassing the

biomass boiler in the process.

B. Boiler

The boiler subsystem is used to convert the chemical energy of a burning by solar

radiation into heat energy that can be utilized to transform water into steam.

Figure 2 illustrates the chosen cylindrical -type boiler design. Water is injected

into the boiler by removing the safety valve and pouring the water in manually,

until approximately half of the cylinder tank is full. This removes any

requirement for a water injector, and simplifies the overall design. The brick

housing supports the cylindrical boiler and can easily be built on site.

Combustion of biomass occurs inside the furnace, which heats up the bottom

surface of the cylinder causing the water inside to boil. Finally, a sight glass will

be included to observe the water level inside the cylinder. The high

temperature/high pressure steam produced inside the boiler will then be carried

from the outlet to the steam engine via steam pipes with a black surface coating.

The boiler will only be used at night, or on cloudy days when there is not enough

solar energy available to run the steam engine.

C. Steam engine

The mini steam engine shown in Figure 3 will be used to convert the energy in

the steam to mechanical motion that is required to run the pump. A detailed
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explanation of engine cycles can be found in reference [2]. The steam enters the

cylinder at a high temperature and pressure and causes the internal piston to

reciprocate back and forth, which drives the connecting rod. The connecting rod

connects the piston to the crankshaft. The crankshaft transfers its rotational

energy to the flywheel, which is essentially a rotating mass with a large moment

of inertia. The flywheel stores energy and provides the angular momentum that

is required to alternate between expansion and compression cycles in the

cylinder. The camshaft is a rotating shaft that controls when valves open and

close, through mechanical linkage that is driven off the crankshaft. Accurate

valve timing is essential for controlling the length of engine cycles and ensuring

proper operation of the steam engine. A gear coupling and universal joint will be

used to transmit the torque off the crankshaft, to the drive shaft connected to

the water pump; the two shafts will be perpendicular to one another. The

rotating drive shaft will in turn cause the impellers of the pump to rotate and

drive water up the well to the required head.

Fig.3 Steam Engine

D. Storage tank
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Choosing the metal of inner and outer storage tank is made of 2.5mm thickness of

carbon steel. This material offers enough toughness and resists corrosion and

intense light. This tank shape is made of stainless steel cylinder with dimension of

50cm*30cm*30cm. In order to transfer the heat fluid from /or to storage tank by

tubes, two input valves was chosen and also two output valves the first

(input/output valves) are connected between receiver and storage tank ,the

second (input/output valves) are connect between storage tank and load by

flexible hose.

E. System Connected Method

The parabolic dish solar steam generator considered in this paper is connected

with another part as shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 4 Components of Solar Steam System

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

As any solar driven system, the system performance is mainly a function of solar

energy collector subsystem efficiency, and the system coefficient of

performance. For the solar energy subsystem, shown in Figure 4, which consists
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 of the solar collector, the steam drum and pump, the solar radiation energy is

absorbed and converted into heat that is transferred to the water which flows

into the steam drum which is serving as heat energy buffer plus motive steam

engine.

Table I
Characteristics of the Solar Dish Concentrator
Diameter of the parabola 1.6 m
Surface collecting of the 2.0
parabola m2
Focal distance f 0.84
m
Depth of the parabola 0.18
A. Efficiency of collector

Figures (5) show the variation of instantaneous efficiency with operating

temperature (Tmr-Ta) for a receiver [20]. It is clear that the system efficiency is

decreased with receiver temperature because that the radiated losing energy is

proportional to fourth

Power of receiver temperature as mentioned before. Also, the results indicate

that the cylindrical receiver is more efficient.

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Fig. 5 Variation of instantaneous efficiency with temp for collector

Figure 6 shows the instantaneous ratio of Qloss with respect to the Quseful. It is about

10%. This refers to weakness in insulator technique. By measuring the

degradation in temperature of storage tank for 24 hours as follow ,water is pre-

heated to average temperature of 80 °C by using solar heating system, and this

water moved from solar heating system to the storage tank at temperature 80°C

the start of the test.

Fig. 6 Relation between solar radiation and heat loss from tank with time

B. Steady State Thermal Testing

Test were performed to determined total conversion efficiency .In these test,

water inlet, the water at (20º C) was heated by the receiver to temperature under

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(145ºC). The working inlet flow was not flashing [21] that allowed accurate

collected energy measurement. Results from steady state thermal conversion test

are shown in Figure 7 outlet water temperature and insulation during each test. It

is observed the increasing of the outlet temperature with increasing of solar

radiation between 11:00 am to 12:15 pm otherwise increasing the pressure in

final tank to work the steam engine. Figures (8,9) shows increased (rpm) with

increasing temperature and pressure.

Fig.7 Relation between solar radiation and temperature with time for solar
system

Fig. 8 Relation between solar radiation and rpm with temperature for solar
system

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 Fig.9 Relation of rpm and pressure with temperature for solar system
C. Thermodynamic analysis and efficiency
calculations

It was determined that the boiler would operate at a pressure of (2.7 bar) to (15

bar). Referring to steam tables, it is found that the boiling point of water at such a

pressure is approximate (80Cº-130), with an enthalpy of evaporation of

2720.8(kJ/kg). Assuming negligible heat loss inside the steam pipes between the

boiler and steam engine (by minimizing pipe length and convective losses), this

value also represents the steam temperature at the engine inlet. As the steam

expands inside the cylinder, which results in a temperature drop at the outlet that

is proportional to the efficiency of the engine. To avoid further system complexity

and unnecessary capital costs for a simple water pumping system, a condenser

was not included in the design. Accordingly, a value of (55 Cº) is chosen as a

reasonable approximation for the outlet steam temperature of the engine.

Knowing that a steam engine operates on a Rankine cycle, the expected Carnot

efficiency of the engine is calculated from Equation (13)

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(13)

=(403‫ܭ‬323−‫)ܭ‬/19.8519=%100×‫ܭ‬401%
where Tin is the inlet temperature and Tout is the outlet temperature. A value of

(19.85 %) is obtained, which is to be expected from a small steam engine that

lacks a condenser. Moreover, small scale steam engines of this type typically lack

extensive regenerators and re-heaters, and as a result, typically have low

isentropic efficiencies of approximately (50%). The isentropic efficiency involves a

comparison between actual performance of a device, and the performance that

would be achieved under ideal circumstances, for the same inlet state and exit

pressure [22]. The overall engine efficiency is then,

9.5=% 100× 0.5∙0.189 = ‫ߟ݁݊݅݊= ߟݐ݋ ܿܽ݊ݎ∙ߟ݊ ݅݁ݏ‬

݃ %

IV. CONCLUSIONS

The design of a mini solar steam engine has been proposed in this paper. The

work of the system as a conventional thermal power, the heat comes from dish

concentrate focused on solar receiver up to (200◦C) heating the water pumped

to receiver with low flow rate. The temperature of out let receiver or heat tank

up to (140◦C) saturated steam sufficient to work steam engine The results of our

conceptual design show that performance of 20%, the two axis tracking system

is very important to increasing power because the engine is small the dish Area

small, but when increasing the engine will be will be increasing dish area to

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 increasing income power of solar radiation and temperature to increasing

pressure in the hot tank and work the engine. The analysis points out that the

overall efficiency, for a given radiation field, is higher than the calculated values

of other types of solar system.

V. REFERENCES

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cycle. Doctoral Thesis, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden,
2006, October 2006.
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The Journal of
Engineering Research Vol. 4, No.1 (2007) 48-63
[3] J. Guo, H.G. Shen," Modeling solar-driven ejector refrigeration system
offering air conditioning for office building",Energy and Buildings, vol. 41
(2009) 175–181
[4] S. Sukhatme , P. Nayak, Solar Energy Principles of Thermal Collection and
Storage, third ed. Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd., New Delhi.
2008.
[5] SOLEL [Link]
[6] SCHOTT AG [Link]
[7] ACCIONA [Link]

View publication stats

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Collector Developed for Cost Efficient Solar

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