Three-dimensional Three-dimensional arrangement of sunlight arrangement of sunlight
traps in conceptually traps in conceptually devised HELIANTHUS devised HELIANTHUS
solar power plantssolar power plants
SALA CONSILINA (SA) 2007 SALA CONSILINA (SA) 2007
Paolo Zozzaro*Paolo Zozzaro*ITIS “G. Gatta”ITIS “G. Gatta”
Roberto De Luca*Roberto De Luca*Università degli Studi di SalernoUniversità degli Studi di Salerno
** Don’t shoot us, we are only the piano players…Don’t shoot us, we are only the piano players…
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
A solar trap: the Planckon systemA solar trap: the Planckon system
Is it possible to trap solar radiation? The Is it possible to trap solar radiation? The answer is affirmative answer is affirmative [1][1]
[1] R. De Luca, F. Romeo, P. Zozzaro, Capturing sunlight, Eur. J. Phys. 27 (2006) 347-352
Primary mirrorSecondary mirror
to a black body
z
y
M1
M2
Light sensor
No convection liquid to heat waterNo convection liquid to heat water
Black metallic nucleus containing water
Opening for solar radiation intake
Perfectly reflecting inner walls
Rotating mechanical system
A black body can be used to store radiating energyA black body can be used to store radiating energy
Therefore, if we are able to Therefore, if we are able to concentrate sunlight in a small concentrate sunlight in a small region in space and we are able to region in space and we are able to let this radiating energy enter, let this radiating energy enter, through a small hole, a cavity with through a small hole, a cavity with highly reflecting inner walls, we can highly reflecting inner walls, we can say say we have trapped sunlightwe have trapped sunlight. In . In the PLANCKON system, sunlight is the PLANCKON system, sunlight is used to heat water in a spherical used to heat water in a spherical chamber.chamber.
We can now extend this concept to We can now extend this concept to black bodies of different shapes, in black bodies of different shapes, in order to heat water or generate order to heat water or generate steam, as in an HELIANTHUS steam, as in an HELIANTHUS column.column.
HELIANTUS
solar collector
water
hollow cylindrical insulating layer
metal jacket
metal jacket containing water
hollow cylindrical insulating layer
Steam pipe
HELIANTHUS: How does it work?HELIANTHUS: How does it work?
Let us take a look inside…Let us take a look inside…
What the advantages?What the advantages?Three-dimensional Three-dimensional
arrangement of arrangement of solar collectors. solar collectors.
A rough estimate for A rough estimate for power output of a power output of a single helianthus single helianthus column under partly column under partly cloudy sky cloudy sky conditions: conditions:
P = N P = N A AN=5; N=5; =500 W/m =500 W/m22; ;
A=10 mA=10 m22, so that, so that P = 25 kW.P = 25 kW.
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
HELIANTUS
Other applications?Other applications?
PV cells insidePV cells inside
fiber
PV cellDiffusing system and filter
IN CONCLUSION: Is IN CONCLUSION: Is sunlight sunlight trappingtrapping convenient as far as convenient as far as
environmental issues are environmental issues are concerned?concerned?
No need of convection fluidsNo need of convection fluidsSaving horizontal space on Earth surfaceSaving horizontal space on Earth surfaceConfined energy (almost no harm to flying species, Confined energy (almost no harm to flying species, almost no physical impact on ground fauna)almost no physical impact on ground fauna)
DRAWBACKS: DRAWBACKS: it does not exist yet…it does not exist yet…
Please let future life on Earth be possible!Please let future life on Earth be possible!
Top Related