Concentrating solar mirror for high temperature solar power
Gerald Muller (Water and Environmental Engineering)
Solar power is a major component of the drive towards a CO2 free power generation. Today, photovoltaics are probably the most important technology in this field. Solarthermal power has comparatively high costs, due to the complexity of the installations.
Parabolic mirrors or “solar dishes” have been built to concentrate solar energy into the focal point of the mirror here, a Stirling engine generates electric power from the heat. This technology is fairly well developed. It does however have several disadvantages: the Stirling engine has to move with the mirror, which makes the installation complex. Heat storage is not possible because the engine must move with the mirror. And, every solar dish must have its own engine, which increases the costs.
In Southampton, we developed a variation of the solar dish whereby the light is collimated by a second, smaller mirror, and transmitted through a central hole in the main mirror. Here, the light beam is diverted by a plane mirror towards a receiver. Initial tests shows the validity of the concept.
In this 3.5 year fully-funded PhD project, you will develop the concentrating mirror system further, Tests will be conducted using laser beams and sunlight to determine the actual performance. Power transmission via a light beam will be assessed. Computer simulations and experiments will be conducted to develop a receiver / storage unit which is currently assumed to be a “black body” type arrangement. The power generation with a central Stirling engine will be analysed. The project will result in a novel high temperature concentrating solar power system with a sun-to-wire efficiency significantly higher than that of a PV installation.
We are looking for a driven applicant with a strong Bachelors and/or Masters degree in Physics or Engineering, and expertise and interest in thermodynamics and in renewable energy, and who is also motivated to widen their knowledge to understand the complex renewable energy system development which involves theory as well as components design and testing.
Parabolic concentrator, principle
Key skills: Civil or Mechanical Engineering, Experimental work
Eligibility: UK rates (subject to fund availability)
Start date: October 2023 (subject to fund availability)
Application deadline: August 2023
CIVIL, MARITIME
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
University of Southampton
Explore our website:
Contact us:
+44(0)23 8059 5000
+44(0)23 8059 3131
University of Southampton
University Road
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom
CIVIL, MARITIME
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
University of Southampton
Explore our website:
Contact us:
+44(0)23 8059 5000
+44(0)23 8059 3131
University of Southampton
University Road
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
United Kingdom
© 2020 Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering Department
© 2020 Civil, Maritime and Environmental Engineering Department