Technical Feasibility of a Modular Dish Solar Electric System

ABSTRACT:
The development of solar concentrators in recent years has produced a wide variety of collectors for the utilization of solar energy. This paper presents the technical feasibility of generating electricity by using a gas turbine in conjunction with a paraboloid of revolution (dish) solar

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concentrator. A conceptual design of a dish concentrator is obtained by parametrically examining the significantoptical parameters. The optical performance analysis was conducted using the Honeywell Monte Carlo ray-trace simulation program. A thermodynamic analysis was conducted to evaluate the performance of four candidate thermodynamic cycles utilizing two working fluids. The cycles were the regenerative and non-regenerative Brayton cycles of both open and closed type. Air and helium were the working fluids for the open and closed type respectively. Analysis for the heat transfer from the solar radiation to the gas flowing in metal tubes at the receiver was also conducted. A paraboloid of revolution dish with a cavity receiver using an open air regenerative Brayton cycle turbine emerged as a technically feasible concept in the power range from 30 to 100 KWth per module.

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