Solar Energy Devices

Overview

Compentency: Reviewing different technologies of solar energy competency


Module type: elective module


Semester: winter


Site: Cairo


Language: English


Workload: 90 hours course attendance; 60 hours self-study


Credits points: 6


Recommended qualifications: none

Courses

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Solar Thermal Heating the students are able to:

  • distinguish solar thermal devices for domestic hot water with respect to radiation circumstances and geographical position
  • assess design and dimensioning of different solar thermal energy devices for domestic hot water, space and swimming pool heating and air conditioning

Content

  • Basics of heat transfer and thermodynamics
  • Basics of solar radiation including:
    • calculation of radiation on the inclined / adjusted area
    • solar radiation distribution
    • spatial and temporal solar radiation variations
  • Components:
    • collector (types, material, collector loop, energy balance, efficiency)
    • heat carrier (thermophysical properties, pressure drop, heat transfer, chemical stability, solubility of gases)
    • heat storage (different types and tasks, thermo-physical properties)
  • Dimensioning of solar thermal plants according to its uses:
    • domestic hot water plants, swimming pools, air conditioning
    • district heating
    • industrial use
  • Planning the connection of the systems with one another and with the building
  • Using planning tools and simulation programs (Meteonormm TSOL, POLYSUN, ect.)
  • Monitoring and optimization:
    • system failures
    • methods for long term monitoring / system optimization

Details

  • Lecturer: Mohamed Fawzi El-Refaie
  • Teaching method: lecture, seminar
  • SWS: 2
  • Credit points: 2
  • Examination: midterm assignments (40%); final exam (60%)

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Concentrated Solar Thermal Devices the students are able to:

  • recognize operating limits of non-focusing collectors and the need for focusing collectors, the different types of solar concentrators and their relative merits
  • assign output power, delivery temperatures and performance indices for different kinds of solar concentrator technologies

Content

  • Driving factors for solar concentration techniques
  • Mechanism of solar concentration
  • Components of a concentrating collector
  • Concentration ratio (theoretical vs. actual)
  • Types and thermal performance of concentrating collectors
  • Tracking
  • Choice of collector mount
  • Calculations to yield:
    • output power
    • delivery temperature (for specific types)
    • the performance indices

Details

  • Lecturer: Mohamed Fawzi El-Refaie
  • Teaching method: lecture, seminar
  • SWS: 2
  • Credit points: 2
  • Examination: midterm assignments (40%) ; final exam (60%)

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the course Photovoltaic Devices the students are able to:

  • distinguish the solar radiation on oriented surfaces
  • perceive the physics of photovoltaic cell materials, production, modules structure and basic electrical characteristics of the solar module

Content

  • Basics of:
    • electrical engineering
    • characteristics of solar radiation (diffuse, direct, and albedo)
  • PV design:
    • solar cells physics (photovoltaic effect) and materials (mono-crystalline, multicrystalline, thin-film technology)
    • estimating the radiation on PV modules
    • semiconductor material and their application in PV
  • Basic components of grid connected PV-Systems:
    • sizing of PV-generator
    • cabling, protection
    • inverter-concepts (with and without transformer)
  • Estimating performance criteria:
    • evaluation criteria (energy yield, performance ratio, maximum power point (MPP), aim and techniques of MPP-tracking
    • simulation tools (e.g. PV*SOL or INSEL) for the design and forecast of PV system performance, project work
  • Local requirements and legislation for integration of PV systems to the utility grid

Details

  • Lecturer: Nadia Raafat
  • Teaching method: lecture, project work in groups
  • SWS: 2
  • Credit points: 2
  • Examination: midterm assignments (40%); final exam (60%)