CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER PLANT

CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER PLANT

 Almost all the energy sources we use today are derived from solar energy.

 Sun has been radiating an enormous amount of energy since 5 billion years and will continue radiating energy at same rate till 5 billion years more.

Sun rays play an important role in the process of photosynthesis transferring energy to plants and then other animals.

Solar energy is the principal source of energy which fuels other sources of energy such as wind energy, wave energy etc.

Also solar energy is widely used to generate electricity through solar panels. (The photovoltaic technology of solar cells convert sunlight into electricity)

Recently a new way has been found to generate electricity by solar energy:

CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER PLANT

The basic principle behind this is to concentrate sun’s heat on a small area (container filled with salt). The salt is melted and is used as heat transfer fluid or thermal energy storage.

Basically the molten salt is used to boil water, to rotate turbines and generate electricity (similar to thermal electricity generation)

Concentrating solar power plant is also known as solar salt power plant.

concentrated solar power plant

 STRUCTURE OF SOLAR SALT POWER PLANT

In this power plant a container (containing salt) is placed on a solar tower so that it is raised to a certain height.

Several heliostats mirrors inclined at different angles are used to concentrate heat on the container. These heliostats mirrors are arranged in the pattern of concentric circles with the solar tower as centre

The container is connected to a network of pipes which carry the molten salt for electricity generation.

The solar tower and container are made up of thermally conductive material to utilize maximum heat.

Solar tower

MECHANISM

Several mirrors inclined at different angle reflect the sun rays on the container which concentrates heat on the container.

The container conducts heat to salt, melting it the melted salt is further carried to other container through a network of pipes to boil water.

The high pressure steams are carried to a power generating turbine through a network of pipelines.

Rest of the time, the molten salt can be stored in another insulated tank and can be further reused.

mechanism

Heloiostats

INDIA’S BRIGHT FUTURE IN SOLAR SALT POWER PLANTS

INDIA is a tropical country and has enormous possibilities of tapping solar energy

Also INDIA has vast array lands where it can set up solar salt power plants.

BIGGEST SOLAR SALT POWER PLANT

Ashalim power station in the negev desert in Israel. It has tallest solar tower in the world and has 50,600 concentrating heliostats. It has capacity of generating 121 megawatts of electric power.

NEED FOR CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER

Electricity has such a wide range of application in today’s world that it’s per capita consumption is considered as an index for development therefore there is a pressing need to discover a more sustainable process (than solar panel) to generate electricity such as concentrated solar power.

DRAWBACKS OF CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER

High cost of implantation, the salt solar power plants require intensive capital inputs and high maintainance costs.

Also these power plants require a vast are of land and proper technological set up.

As the angle of sunrays falling on heliostats change with time the heliostats are needed to be constantly adjusted to reflect sunrays on the solar tower.

SOLUTION

The heliostats are computerized so that they change angle with time. A software is designed which controls heliostats on the basis of the data obtained from the solar sensors.

ADVANTAGES OF CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER

It is a clean source of energy and does not leads to any environmental pollution.

It can generate a huge amount of energy in a short time relative to other sources of energy.

The molten salt which is not used immediately can be stored in insulated tank and can be used later.

Thus there is immediate need for developing countries like INDIA to adopt concentrated solar power in order to be energy efficient.

One experimental project is planned to be set up in Gujrat

This topic is being researched so that it can be exploited as soon as possible.

Countries such as China, USA and Israel are benefiting a lot from these concentrated solar power plants .

 concentrated solar power