2. Contents
What is Solar Tower
Classifications
Steam Based
Molten Salt Based
Heliostat
Advantages of use of Solar Energy
Application
Newly setup solar towers
Scope in India
3. Solar Tower is method to convert solar energy
into electrical energy
Solar towers generate electric power from sunlight by
focusing concentrated solar radiation on a tower-mounted
heat exchanger (receiver).
4. Solar Tower can basically classified as:1)Steam Based Solar Tower
Water is used as medium which is converted
to steam to generate electric power
2)Molten Salt Based Solar Tower
Here melted solution of potassium nitrate and
sodium nitrate is used instead of water as a
medium
5. 1)Steam Based Solar Tower
Working Procedure: In solar tower, water is pumped to the receiver at
topmost part of Solar tower.
Now solar radiation would be concentrated on
receiver via Heliostat
Thus steam is generated due to rise in temperature
inside the receiver tank which is further used in
steam turbine generator
7. Heliostat
Heliostat is a Greek word:Helios- sun
stat - stationary
A Heliostat is a device that tracks
the movement of the sun.
A heliostat is a device made of a plane metallic mirror,
which turns on as to keep reflecting sunlight towards
a predetermined target.
8. Limitation of this method is there is no
alternative to produce electricity in
absence of sunlight.
9. 2)Molten Salt Based Solar Tower
Here melted solution of potassium nitrate and
sodium nitrate instead of water as a medium
This molten salt mixture (60 % sodium nitrate and
40% potassium nitrate) is used due to its
properties of absorbing and accumulating heat
energy for long time.
This plant is known as Gama Solar Tower.
This type of solar tower will work for
approximate 4-5 hours in absence of sunlight.
10. Advantages of use of Solar Energy
Solar energy is renewable, and also accessible in any
part of the world.
solar energy is non-pollutant, zero noise pollution –
since there are no moving parts in any of the devices
which are used to capture the sunlight.
Maintenance costs are low as well – only occasional
cleaning and periodic battery replacements are
needed.
long-life operation guaranteeing.
11. Applications
In order to supply Electricity for street lights, &
wherever the grid electricity is unreliable or
unavailable, solar power tower technologies are
used.
Solar Power can be used as Alternative for Wind &
Hydro power.
These plants are best suited for utility-scale
applications in the 30 to 400 MW range.
Provides rough enough Electricity for night use &
during Cloudy weather.
12. Newly setup solar towers
Ivanpah Solar Power Facility:- 1,080 (GWh) Yearly
Production in United States.Estimated to be completed
till 2013.
Crescent Dunes Solar Energy:- 500 (GWh) Yearly
Production in United States. Estimated to be completed
till 2013
PS20 solar power tower:- 44 (GWh)
Yearly Production in Spain. Established
in 2009.
Gemasolar:- 100 (GWh) Yearly
Production in Spain. Established in
2011.
PS10 solar power tower:- 24 (GWh)
Yearly Production in Spain. Established
in 2006
PS10 solar power
tower in spain
14. Establishment of solar tower in
India
As this three basic need (Land, source, and solar
energy) are provided in India this can a great source of
energy in future.
As Tropic of cancer line passes through India which
give indication that India can have great source of
solar energy.
As Tropic of Cancer line passes through Gujarat(So
great amount of solar energy), and also a rich source of
sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate and a large flat
surface is available in Kutch, So that Gama solar tower
can be established there which will prove a great
source of energy in future.