Solar Low Steam Generation System

Apr 29 • Solar Energy Equipment • 3567 Views • No Comments on Solar Low Steam Generation System

The conventional method for generation of steam is by using boilers fired on LPG, Coal, Firewood, Electricity, Agricultural waste , LDO, Diesel, etc. The natural resources are depleting and the wood used for fuel leads to deforestation and causes ecological imbalance. The quantity of CO increases and there is price hikes of petroleum.
To avoid these problems solar steam generation is used.The solar low steam generation system generates steam at 2 to 16-bar pressure, Oil can be heated even above 350°C or air can be heated directly above 750°C or indirect heating of air can be achieved using Heated Oil up to temperature of 250° C.

The solar Low steam generating system comprises of steam pipelines, feed water piping, steam header assemblies with receivers, instrumentation like pressure gauzes and temperature indicators, steel structures and civil works, steam separators, automatically tracked parabolic concentrators, steam traps etc. It is generally hooked up with conventional steam generating system already available with the user to make it reliable under all climatic conditions

PROCEDURE OF SOLAR STEAM GENERATION:

In the solar steam generation system there are different parts:

A separate steam drum to ensure the quality of steam and the steam drum is fully fabricated.
There is also a wide tube for the purpose of evaporation.
There is a bare tube construction.
Also there is easy cleaning and replacement of tube bundles.

PARABOLIC CONCENTRATORS:

It has a reflector with a good quality reflective material, rotating support and a stand. The concentrators focus sunlight to the opposite sides of the receivers attached to a steam header. Seasonal adjustment is done on manual basis.

RECEIVER DESIGN:

It is a shell type receiver made of MS and is 35 cm in diameter and is connected to each of the two concentrators that focus the sunlight on both sides of this reciever. Such receivers in a unit of concentrators are connected to a 12 inch diameter header pipe which is half filled with de-mineralized water. Both the receivers are integrated with two pipes of 1 ½ inch and ½ inch respectively from inside which help in thermos phonic flow of water from receiver to header and then back. As soon as the water gets heated in the receiver, it starts flowing up in the header through one pipe and the cold water from header starts coming into the receiver.

SYSTEM FUNCTIONING:

All the header pipes are half filled with water using a high pressure reciprocating pumps. All the concentrators are arranged manually and are in the direction of the sun with the help of a central tracking arrangement. The concentrators with the help of a small DC motor run by PV panel then tracks the sun automatically. The time of adjustment of tracking is made using a timer and a relay. The steam pressure then starts building up in the header pipes immediately and is sufficient to be delivered. This steam can be drawn any time in the day even at the time of power failure.

PAYBACK PERIOD AND POTENTIAL USERS:

The technology could be successful at those places only where dedicated people exist to operate it and take care of the maintenance. These places could be, gurudwaras, army canteens ,religious ashrams, temples etc.

OTHER BENEFITS: