Abstract
This thesis takes a broad approach to building integrated solar collection and presents a novel solution which attempts to address a diverse range of physical, technical and aesthetic barriers to the implementation of these technologies. The thesis presents a detailed literature review which leads to the design of a novel, modular, solar window for building integration applications. Comparable in size and scale to a double-glazed window, the design conceals the dark absorber material from non-perpendicular viewpoints, provides solar shading and electrical energy generation for 80 minutes either side of solar noon while at the same time allowing natural lighting to be conveyed into the building outside of the selected concentration period. The system was also designed to be flexible enough to be adapted to various window aperture sizes and orientations.In developing this innovative system, a number of refractive selectively concentrating line axial lenses were designed with a ratio of collector area to absorber area of 2:1 and an acceptance half angle range of solar noon ±20 degrees, with any light incident on the collector outside of that range being allowed to enter the building. A range of solutions was then optically modelled and evaluated.
A final 5 degree defocused fast Fresnel lens design was selected for manufacture, based on its optical performance and a number of key manufacturing constraints, to allow the proof of concept collector to be fabricated. The system was then evaluated experimentally and characterised under real world test conditions in Lleida, Spain. The comparative analysis experimentally validated the optical design and highlighted an increase in energy generation of ~75 % at a perpendicular incidence angle, compared to a baseline design without a concentrating refractive element.
Finally, the annual performance of the developed collector was simulated using historical weather data for Athens, Greece at four architectural integration orientations in order to more fully understand the electrical generation potential of the prototype solution. An annual energy collection of 768 kWhm-2yr-1 for an atrium roof (38o slope) and an East-West absorber alignment was the most effective final design with a 9% increase in energy collection versus the baseline design.
Thesis is embargoed until 31st December 2022
| Date of Award | Dec 2020 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Jayanta Mondol (Supervisor), Aggelos Zacharopoulos (Supervisor) & Mervyn Smyth (Supervisor) |
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