[Pil-pc-oceania] Solar thermal

[Gnoll 110]

Solar Thermal as a general term requires a fluid (liquid or gas) to transfer energy (heat).

The simplest thing is water, but it can be other things.

Ie Refrigeration gases. What you effective got is a fridge running in reverse. You take a temperature differential and create electricity (via an electric generator, instead of an electric motor)

It can be a gas, like air, in a solar chimney arrangement.
http://www.enviromission.com.au/project/project.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_updraft_tower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_chimney

Hope this helps people understanding how broad solar is.


Noel Kelly

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:13:21 +1000
From: Dr Bob Rich 
Subject: Re: [Pil-pc-oceania] Solar thermal
To: pil-pc-oceania at lists.permacultureinternational.org
Message-ID: <367C34E6-5696-4F3D-B193-E15A571EC2EC at bobswriting.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

 >Solar thermal? is that different to normal solar?

Solar power can be used in two ways: 1. to generate electricity via a  
photovoltaic process; 2. to generate heat that boils a fluid, which  
is then used to work a turbine or other engine. The second is solar  
thermal of course. Its advantages are lower cost, simplicity, and the  
generation of distilled water in many applications. disadvantage is  
that it involves moving parts --> wear and tear, and is necessarily  
less efficient because it involves more energy transformations.
 There are serious plans to use huge solar-thermal plants on the  
northern edge of the Sahara, to supply electricity to Europe. This  
could lead to irrigated agriculture (I assume by using sea water) on  
site, and huge fossil fuel savings.
:)
Bob





       
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