Course Title

Solar Energy

Course Code

EAS 517

Course Type

Elective

Level

PhD

Instructor’s Name

Manuel Blanco, Costas N. Papanicolas, Victor Grigoriev, Kypros Milidonis, Evgeny Votyakov, Constantinos Marakkos, Alaric Montenon

ECTS

10

Lectures / week

1 (2.5h)

Laboratories / week

-

Course Purpose and Objectives

Solar thermal energy is one of the most promising modalities for converting solar energy into electricity. This course provides an in depth overview of the principles of heat transfer as well as advanced thermodynamics to understand the limits of the conversion processes. The engineering architecture of concentrating solar thermal (CST) power plants is also analyzed. In depth analysis of solar harvesting systems, solar energy receivers, and thermal energy storage systems will be performed, with design and modelling studies on each system.

The objective of the course is to give the students a deeper understanding of the phenomena and processes involved in a solar thermal power plant, and provide them with advanced techniques to model plant behavior. The seminar will also provide opportunities for the students to get actively engaged through presentations and reviews of literature provided throughout the course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course the student should be obtain a good understanding of:

The fundamentals of the thermal conversion of solar energy into power.

The potential and limitations of CST power plants as a major source of renewable power in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the World.

The basics of the different CSTP technologies, including technical and economic aspects.

The technical and techno-economic considerations involved in the design, optimization, and implementation of commercial CST power plants.

The state-of-the-art tools that are publically available to facilitate the preliminary screening and sizing of CST power plants for a specific location and set of boundary conditions, both technical and economic.

Prerequisites

None

Background Requirements

Basic knowledge of Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

Course Content

The Sun as an energy source

Overview of CST power plants.

The Role of Modelling at the different stages of a CST power plant project

Simulation tools

Assignment of design projects

Parabolic troughs technology

Linear Fresnel technology

Solar tower technology

Presentation of design projects.

Teaching Methodology

Lectures. Seminars. Case studies. Short Projects.

Bibliography

Concentrating Solar Power Technology: Principles, Developments and Applications (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy Book 21) 1st Edition. K. Lovegrove (Editor), W. Stein (Editor). Woodhead Publishing; 2012. ASIN: B00HEMSUAO

Advances in Concentrating Solar Thermal Research and Technology (Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy) 1st Edition. Manuel Blanco (Editor), Lourdes Ramirez Santigosa (Editor). Woodhead Publishing Series in Energy, 2016. ISBN-13: 978-0081005163.

Advanced Engineering Thermodynamics 4th Edition. Adrian Bejan. Wiley 2016. ISBN: 1119052092.

Thermal Design and Optimization 1st Edition. Adrian Bejan, George Tsatsaronis, Michael J. Moran. Wiley-Interscience; 1 edition (November 28, 1995). ISBN-13: 978-0471584674.

Assessment

Coursework, oral presentation, exam

Language

English