Study of solar energy application by radiation concentrators and design of a compact solar simulator

• Grant number: 13/03721-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Thermal Engineering
• Principal Investigator: José Roberto Simões Moreira
• Grantee: Julia da Rosa Howat Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

According to the Brazilian Atlas of Solar Energy, despite the different climatic characteristics observed in Brazil, the annual mean value of global solar irradiation has satisfactory uniformity and high levels throughout the country. The values of this parameter in any region of Brazil (4200-6700 Wh/m2) are higher than those observed in most of European Union countries, such as Germany (900-1250 Wh/m2), France (900-1650 Wh/m2) and Spain (1200-1850 Wh/m2), where projects of solar energy application, some of them relying on strong government incentives, are widespread.Much of the scientific advances made in the studies of solar energy applications are due to the use of compact solar simulators in long term experiments. By replacing the Sun by artificial sources, such as arc lamps with radiation emission similar to the Sun, simulators avoid the dependence on natural conditions such as the weather, the sunlight intermittence and the directional change of the solar radiation.The target of this Master's thesis is to study the operation principle of existing solar simulators and to propose the design of a new simulator to be built at the Escola Politécnica - USP in order to facilitate studies in this sector.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

RODRIGUES, Julia da Rosa Howat. Design and building of a solar simulator with radiation concentration.. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Politécnica (EP/BC) São Paulo.