Author
Abstract
The analysis of reversible radiation conversion is insightful in process optimization and provides the upper limit to performance of any conceptual device. However, in practice, irreversibilities are unavoidable and play an important role in performance optimization. The finite absorption of a radiative source flux, and the simultaneous emission of radiation, is an inherently irreversible process. Likewise, heat rejection from the conversion device is unavoidable and dependent on local environmental conditions and resources. The endoreversible model treats these irreversibilities as inherent but external to the conversion process. In this paper, the effect of these irreversibilities on performance is investigated for a model with irreversible radiative absorption combined with irreversible conductive or convective heat rejection. Previous models either do not include the magnitude of entropy rejection required by the second law or do not otherwise accurately represent terrestrial solar conversion. Analysis of the model provides a guide for optimal operating conditions. For relatively poor heat rejection, as can occur in arid climates, analysis of the model reveals regions of operating parameters that will result in zero or low theoretical work output, and/or high operating temperatures and increased risk of failure. This is of particular concern for photovoltaic systems with low maximum temperature limits. Analytical expressions for maximum ideal work are provided, given the specific radiative source flux and heat rejection conditions. A fair evaluation of system performance is thereby obtained by comparing actual work production to the ideal, given the specific external operating conditions or restrictions.
Suggested Citation
Wright, S.E., 2008.
"Endoreversible terrestrial solar energy conversion,"
Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(12), pages 2631-2636.
Handle:
RePEc:eee:renene:v:33:y:2008:i:12:p:2631-2636
DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2008.02.021
Download full text from publisher
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to
for a different version of it.
Corrections
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:33:y:2008:i:12:p:2631-2636. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through
the various RePEc services.