Solar heat utilization

Another applieation for turboexpanders is in power reeovery from various heat sourees utilizing the Rankine eyele. The heat sourees presently being eonsidered for large seale power plants inelude geothermal and oeean-thermal energy, while small systems are direeted at solar heat, waste heat from reaetor proeesses, gas turbine exhaust and many other industrial waste heat sourees. Some of these systems are diseussed below in greater detail. 

Cooling loads are most significant on hot summer afternoons when electric utilities typically have annual peak loads. Lower solar heat gains lead to reduced peaks, which reduce peak demand charges and power plant capacity requircliiclits. 

Photocatalysis is a fundamental feature of life processes on our planet [1] (it provides photosynthesis in plants and bacteria) and of the chemistry of its atmosphere [2]. Work is under way to develop photocatalytic technologies for abatement of environmental problems [3,4]. Photocatalysis is anticipated to become in the coming years important also for selective organic synthesis [4]. In a more distant future thermal catalytic processes induced by heating with solcir radiation, together with photocatalytic processes may become important for environmentally friendly technologies of solar energy utilization [5-9]. 

Nakamura T (1977) Hydrogen production from water utilizing solar heat at high temperatures. Sol Energy 19 467-475... 

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC). Utilization of ocean temperature differentials between solar-heated surface water and cold deep water as a source of electric power. In tropical areas such differences amount to 35-40°F. A pilot installation now operating near Hawaii utilizes a closed ammonia cycle as a working fluid, highly efficient titanium heat exchangers, and a polyethylene pipe 2000 feet long and 22 inches inside diameter to handle the huge volume of cold water required. Alternate uses for such a system, such as electrolysis of water,... 

Before the cost of water from a multistage flash evaporator utilizing solar-heated brine could be estimated, an estimate of the cost of the recovered energy was required. This was determined in cents per million B.t.u. (Table IX). The net heat available for each selected condition is also listed in Table IX. 

Approximately 10,600 acre-feet of potable water could be produced during a 10-month operating year, utilizing nearly 1 square mile of solar heat collector surface. 

Power cycle applications Biomass and coal gasification Solar energy applications Refrigeration Waste heat utilization Distillation column systems Heat and fluid flow in channels and microchannels... 

Central to this movement are methods that utilize natural heat and light sources to reduce the demand for electrical energy and combustible fuels, and methods to reduce or eliminate energy losses from structures. Initially a fringe philosophy of the 1950 s and 1960 s, passive solar heating and other methods, for example, have now become a rapidly developing part of mainstream building techniques. 

Analysis of Heat and Mass Transfer in a Small-scale Adsorption Cooling Unit Utilizing Solar Heat 280... 

Long-term prediction of polymer stability towards solar irradiation is very important in the case of application of polymers in the utilization of solar energy such as solar heating systems, solar collectors, solar photovoltaic cells, etc. [1765, 1767]. 

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