Solar chimney power plant performance characteristics

Date
2002
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
South African Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Abstract
The performance characteristics of a large solar chimney power plant are evaluated. The reference plant studied has a glass-covered collector and a chimney that is 1 500 m high with a diameter of 160 m. A turbo-generator is located at the base of the chimney. The draught and relevant energy equations applicable to the plant are solved for specified meteorological data at a particular site in South Africa. It is shown that the output of the plant changes measurably during the day and that power is also generated during the night, due to the thermal capacity of the ground under the solar collector. By optimising the shape and height of the solar collector, the annual power output can be increased.
Description
CITATION: Kroger, D. G. & Buys, J. D. 2002. Solar chimney power plant performance characteristics. R&D Journal, 18(2).
Keywords
Citation
Kroger, D. G. & Buys, J. D. 2002. Solar chimney power plant performance characteristics. R&D Journal, 18(2).