A graphical method to estimate the efficiency of a solar concentrator used for heating and boiling liquids is described. The method involves the measuring of temperature of stagnated liquid in the absorber as a function of time at noon. The graphically estimated efficiency is within 5% of the...

With an ever-increasing population and rapid growth of industrialization, there is great demand for fresh water. Desalination has been a key proponent to meet the future challenges due to decreasing availability of fresh water. However, desalination uses significant amount of energy, today...

In this study, an indirect forced convection solar drying system was tested for drying of palm oil fronds. The drying of 100 kg of palm oil fronds via solar drying system reduced the moisture content from 60% (w.b) to 10% (w.b) in 22 h (3 d of drying). During the drying process, the daily...

The limitations in the world sources of energy are being mitigated by the exploitation of renewable forms and by increases in the efficiency of energy utilization. Exergy analysis is a useful method for the design, evaluation, and improvement of energy systems, that uses conservation of mass and...

An exergy analysis, which only considers the unavoidable exergy destruction, is conducted for single, double, triple and half effect Water–Lithium bromide absorption cycles. Thus, the obtained performances represent the maximum achievable performance under the given operation conditions.

Biofuels are widely seen as substitutes for fossil fuels to offset the imminent decline of oil production and to mitigate the emergent increase in GHG emissions. This view is, however, based on too simple an analysis, focusing on only one piece in the whole mosaic of the complex biofuel...

The energy and exergy flow for a space heating systems of a typical residential building of natural ventilation system with different heat generation plants have been modeled and compared. The aim of this comparison is to demonstrate which system leads to an efficient conversion and supply of...

It is beneficial for the consumer to have solar cookers of various varieties in terms of geometrical designs, performance and price but it is also a challenge to develop a uniform test standard for evaluating the thermal performance of the cookers irrespective of their geometrical construction....

Higher efficiencies and optimal utilization of geothermal energy require a careful selection of the working fluid in organic Rankine cycles (ORC). The objectives of this study are to analyze and explain the effect of using alternative dry fluids on the efficiencies of the ORC and compare them...

A mathematical model for the overall exergetic efficiency of two phase change materials named PCM1 and PCM2 storage system with a concentrating collector for solar thermal power based on finite-time thermodynamics is developed. The model takes into consideration the effects of melting...