January - March | 2013 | Vol :: 06 | No :: 1

ISSN 0974 - 0996

solar electricity
a promising business of the future
- nature's power unleashed - electricity from the sun - the possibilities - sizing SPV systems for large commercial establishments - JNNSM - an update - Kerala's 10,000 solar rooftops

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a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

two innovative renewable energy technologies

Antoine GOURDON

January - March 2013

from France

The Indian industry and the public are facing relatively high electricity prices combined with unreliability of the grid. Alternative technologies suitable for local needs offer an alternative to the unreliable grid distribution which relies on centralized energy production. Two innovative technologies developed in France are introduced here, which could provide Indian villages and industries with a low-cost energy production system, perfectly adaptable to rural, urban or industrial use in India.

two innovative renewable energy technologies from France

n order to resolve the twenty-first century challenges related to energy production for the increasing population, with a lower impact on the environment, researchers and engineers are poised to develop new low-cost and efficient renewable energy production technologies. The Indian industry and the public are facing relatively high electricity prices combined with unreliability of the grid. Alternative technologies suitable for local needs offer an alternative to the unreliable grid distribution which relies on centralized energy production. Power plant design engineers often fail to consider the long-term costs of exploitation and maintenance, as well as adaptation to the local context. Levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is the price at which electricity must be generated from a specific source to break even over the lifetime of the project. LCOE allows a fair and pertinent comparison between technologies as it enables to take into account the local context. Two innovative technologies developed in France are introduced here, which could provide Indian villages and industries with a low-cost energy production system, perfectly adaptable to rural, urban or industrial use in India.

conditioning, steam production) or indirectly for electricity production via a turbine. The above-mentioned innovative technology introduces a new concentrator technology. A concentrator is a curved trough coated with a reflecting material which reflects direct solar radiation onto an absorber running the length of the trough, positioned at the focal point of the reflectors.

Existing solutions The currently existing off-the-shelf solutions for the reflective surface and its supporting structure include w w w glass reflector with a thin metal layer (mirror-type) reflective polished metal sheet, curved or pressed, and fixed on a rigid structure very thin reflective polymer film fixed or glued onto a curved or pressed sheet, fixed on a rigid structure

Glass Reflector This reflector exhibits a high reflective quality and concentration precision as a result of the mouldbased fabrication process. Excessive weight and large volume are the main downsides of this solution for shipment, putting up the infrastructure and installation. Its stiffness allows for a fairly isostatic bearing, with few fixing points. The rigidity of the structure and that of the orientation mechanism need to anticipate the risk of normal mode oscillations which can occur at low frequencies due to the mass. The annual loss of yield amounts up to 1.5% to 2%, and the replacement cost is relatively high.

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a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

Heat and Electricity Production with Solar Captor Concentrated solar power (CSP) is currently the best available technology for electricity production from direct solar insolation. It can also be used in solar airconditioning systems for buildings and for process steam generation in factories. India presents a range of direct normal irradiance (4-6 kWh/m2/day), comparable to Spain, which has been the hot spot for the CSP technology in recent years. Among the CSP technologies, parabolic trough is currently the most mature. CSP technologies are still expensive both at installation and during operation. The worldwide range of LCOE for parabolic trough CSP in 2009 was `0.14 - ` 0.18 per kWh, excluding government incentives. Presented below is a French CSP technology under development which aims at delivering lower than `0.1 per kWh LCOE, lower than those of the current wind energy and new nuclear plant, and comparable to that of the classical coal plant. A CSP system consists of various components. A concentrator reflects and concentrates sun rays onto an absorber. The heat fluid circulating in the absorber is further used either directly as a heating fluid (air-

Reflective Polished Metal Sheet Sheets of reasonable mass and thickness coherent with the formatting processes do not offer sufficient resistance to harsh climatic conditions. It therefore requires designing the carrier structure as a hyperstatic assembly which demands high spatial manufacturing precision resulting in a very high cost. The yield losses are superior to that of glass and comparable to that observed with films. However, replacement costs remain relatively high.

January - March 2013

Thin Film on Metal Sheet In this case, one needs to manufacture a curved metal sheet not much different from a reflective polished metal sheet. The process of sticking the thin film onto the metal sheet affects the quality of the reflected spectrum; moreover, in case of thin film deterioration, it is necessary to replace the carrier soiled by the glue.

film roll allows for a very large range of collector dimensions, surfaces and concentration ratios.
Characteristics and advantages The FRF technology allows for lower investment, installation and operation costs for the concentrator; also it is easy to maintain and has a long life span. For an equal amount of reflected power, the current developments in FRF technology lead to an estimated 50% to 70% reduction in investment costs as compared to the concentration system based on glass mirrors. Design with simple elements and a flexible reflecting film roll allows for a very large range of collector dimensions, surfaces and concentration ratios. The technology theoretically allows a wide range of focal point temperatures, from a few tenths to hundreds of degrees Celsius. Technically, the focal distance depends on the lateral crossbeams, frame and ribs. All the other components, including the reflecting film and brackets, are similar for all installations and are of a standard design.

The FRF Innovative Technology The technology relies on a flexible reflecting film (FRF) shaped by longitudinally and transversely stretched cables (ribs) fixed to a frame by a network of brackets (Figures 1 and 2). It is a 3-D patented structure built out of simple elements.

SUNITED

Figure 1: FRF CAD design

Figure 2: FRF prototype

The FRF technology allows for lower investment, installation and operation costs for the concentrator; also it is easy to maintain and has a long life span. For an equal amount of reflected power, the current developments in FRF technology lead to an estimated 50% to 70% reduction in investment costs as compared to the concentration system based on glass mirrors. Design with simple elements and a flexible reflecting

In case of very strong wind conditions, the film can be easily and quickly removed from the cable ribs. Otherwise the flexible film will be gone with the wind, without damaging the frame. The FRF's specific cost remains very affordable making it almost a consumable. The whole structure is made of simple elements that can be put up on pallets. Installation does not require any specific instruments. The technology can be quickly installed in any region of the world without having to deploy specific logistics.

FRF can be removed easily, and its low cost allows replacement every 3 years without significant increase of LCOE. In

January - March 2013

a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

FRF offers good mechanical properties: resistance to hail and sand storm due to its flexibility; resistance to wind thanks to the network of brackets and the film stiffness. For instance, on a reflector with an opening of 1m50, representing a total length of 2m10, and with ribs every 70 cm, a 40 km/h wind leads to a theoretical maximum spectrum dispersion of only 5 mm. This data remains to be corroborated with wind tunnel measurements.
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two innovative renewable energy technologies from France

two innovative renewable energy technologies from France

contrast to the glass mirror technology, the yield of which may decrease by 10% to 20% over 10 years, FRF replacement affords almost constant yield over the lifespan of the installation. Hence, FRF technology affords better average yield than does glass mirror despite the initial yield spread (<5%).
Regular maintenance has to be carried out in the same way as for glass mirrors. FRF can be removed easily, and its low cost allows replacement every 3 years without significant increase of LCOE. In contrast to the glass mirror technology, the yield of which may decrease by 10% to 20% over 10 years, FRF replacement affords almost constant yield over the lifespan of the installation. Hence, FRF technology affords better average yield than does glass mirror despite the initial yield spread (<5%). Reduction of mass results with the lower weight of the reflective surface, which offers an additional advantage with regard to the normal modes of vibration. Another huge advantage of FRF technology is its lower production cost and significantly lower installation, operation and maintenance cost.

ORC: An Innovative Technology for Waste Heat Recovery in Industries Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems are thermodynamic machines designed to recover waste heat and convert it into electricity. They address two key challenges: 1. Create value from low-temperature heat sources 2. Allow cost-effective distributed power generation ORC solutions have been commercialized since the 1970s, and tested and validated on some market segments. Their market attractiveness is undoubtedly on the rise as they afford clear-cut benefits in the current context of high energy prices and climate change policies. India is one of the countries where ORC technology has the greatest future. Among the various reasons for this are the high cost of electricity, unreliability of the grid and awareness about the technology. The first targets could be cement factories, foundries, ferrous and non-ferrous metal plants, large diesel or gas engines and waste-to-energy plants that cannot benefit from a traditional waste heat recovery solution given the low-temperate heat they generate. The ORC technology presented here delivers reliable electricity at a very interesting LCOE in the range of `0.06 to `0.08 per kWh, competitive with that of classical coal.

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a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

State of development The design carried out with CAD software CATIA has been materialized as two prototypes. Calculations based on hypotheses compatible with the CATIA simulation modules provide an assessment of the resistance to weather stress conditions. Further field and lab tests (wind tunnels) have been planned, which will provide actual measurements that can be compared with design simulation results. Simulation improvement will allow the development of a predictive design software for the design and manufacture of the various components of the FRF technology to fit specifications. The first prototype's aperture has been set to 1.5 m. The current theoretical modelling gives hope to upscale the FRF technology up to 4 m aperture. Field and demonstration tests in India are scheduled in 2013, followed by design improvement and industrialization in 2014 and further commercialization in 2015.

The ORC technology overview

January - March 2013

Figure 3: ORC flow-sheet

The operating principle of a typical organic Rankine cycle is illustrated in Figure 3. ORC technology is used to generate electricity from a heat source. Its key features are the same as those of a traditional steam cycle (Rankine Cycle) but water is

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replaced by an organic fluid and the turbine is adapted to the characteristics of the organic fluid. This allows the machine to use low-temperature heat sources, typically between 80 C and 300 C. The organic working fluid is compressed with a pump, which forces it through a regenerator. The regenerator allows preheating of the liquid working fluid, which is then heated in the evaporator, thanks to the heat/waste heat source. It is then expanded in a dedicated turbine which will drive a generator producing electric power. After expansion, some heat can still be recovered in the regenerator, and then the vapour is condensed. The temperature level of the condensation process can be adjusted for the remaining waste heat to be used in a district heating network.

In comparison with a steam turbine, which uses water, no superheating is necessary to avoid liquid formation in the exhaust vapour, because the expansion ends for

The selection of the working fluid plays a significant role in the utility of the ORC process and is determined by the application and the waste heat characteristics. Fluids with higher critical temperature on the one hand allow higher boiling temperatures but on the other hand lower the pressure, thereby lowering the pressure difference.

January - March 2013

most of the fluids in the area of superheated vapour. This means lower risk for the machine, whereas a steam turbine can suffer damage if the temperature decreases, due to the formation of water droplets in the steam which could damage the blades. In contrast, the organic fluids used in ORC are most of the time 'drying' fluids, which always remain in the gaseous phase while being expanded in the turbine; this affords longer life of the turbines and reduces operation and maintenance costs.

a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

two innovative renewable energy technologies from France

two innovative renewable energy technologies from France

In comparison with a steam turbine, which uses water, no superheating is necessary to avoid liquid formation in the exhaust vapour, because the expansion ends for most of the fluids in the area of superheated vapour. This means lower risk for the machine, whereas a steam turbine can suffer damage if the temperature decreases, due to the formation of water droplets in the steam which could damage the blades. In contrast, the organic fluids used in ORC are most of the time 'drying' fluids, which always remain in the gaseous phase while being expanded in the turbine; this affords longer life of the turbines and reduces operation and maintenance costs.

The ORCHID ORC module is plugged into an existing closed cooling loop between the combustion chamber and the filter in a cupola installation to recover the cupola furnace exhaust heat (see Figures 4 and 5.)

ORCHID: an innovative modular ORC technology on a cupola blast furnace in Western France The French foundry company FMGC, a division of the privately held Farinia Group (France), contracted to install an innovative ORCHID ORC module in one of its foundries in France. The 1 MW ORCHID module has been under construction since October 2011 and was commissioned in November 2012. The project is being carried out as a partnership between an R&D centre of the French metal casting industry and the customer FMGC, the European leader in counterweights and ship keels production, with an annual output of 90,000 tons of cast iron. The FMGC-ORCHID project was selected by ADEMETOTAL for the 6th Award for Energy Efficiency and awarded a 1.8 m financial aid by Total S.A. in September 2011.

Figure 5: ORCHID module in installation

The power production from the module comes at 690 V from the generator and is stepped up to 20 kV in the plant sub-station. The module is presently under commercial run test producing enough electricity to cover around 30% of the needs of the foundry.
Mr. Antoine GOURDON is the Founder - Executive Director of GreenVista sas, DESERTEC France.

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a quarterly magazine of the society of energy engineers and managers / India

January - March 2013

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Figure 4: ORCHID module

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