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A novel application of concentrated solar thermal energy in foundries

  • Pollution control technologies and alternate energy options
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Abstract

Scrap preheating in foundries is a technology that saves melting energy, leading to economic and environmental benefits. The proposed method in this paper utilizes solar thermal energy for preheating scrap, effected through a parabolic trough concentrator that focuses sunlight onto a receiver which carries the metallic scrap. Scraps of various thicknesses were placed on the receiver to study the heat absorption by them. Experimental results revealed the pattern with which heat is gained by the scrap, the efficiency of the process and how it is affected as the scrap gains heat. The inferences from them gave practical guidelines on handling scraps for best possible energy savings. Based on the experiments conducted, preheat of up to 160 °C and a maximum efficiency of 70 % and a minimum efficiency of 40 % could be achieved across the time elapsed and heat gained by the scrap. Calculations show that this technology has the potential to save around 8 % of the energy consumption in foundries. Cumulative benefits are very encouraging: 180.45 million kWh of energy savings and 203,905 t of carbon emissions cut per year across the globe. This research reveals immense scope for this technology to be adopted by foundries throughout the world.

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Abbreviations

S r :

Solar absorbed energy per unit area of receiver (W/m2)

T rec :

Temperature of receiver (K)

T c :

Temperature of cover (K)

D :

Diameter (m)

m :

Mass of the scrap (kg)

c :

Specific heat (kJ/kg K)

L :

Latent heat (kJ/kg)

β :

Volume expansivity (1/K)

A s :

Scrap area (m2)

R T :

Total thermal resistance (°C/W)

F :

Focal distance (m)

∆T :

Change in temperature

N c :

Collector efficiency

Q u :

Useful heat gain (W)

A c :

Aperture area (m2)

H :

Solar irradiance (W/m2)

a :

Absorbance (dimensionless)

ε :

Emittance (dimensionless)

γ :

Shape factor (dimensionless)

U l :

Overall heat transfer coefficient (W/m2)

A rec :

Receiver area (m2)

T r :

Receiver temperature (°C)

T a :

Ambient temperature (°C)

D r :

Receiver diameter (m)

L :

Length (m)

W :

Collector width (m)

h conv :

Convective heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K)

h r :

Radiative heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 K)

Nu :

Nusselt number (dimensionless)

K :

Thermal conductivity (W/m °C)

L c :

Characteristic length (m)

∆x :

Thickness

σ :

Stefan- Boltzmann law, 5.6704 × 10−8 (W/m2 K4)

C :

Constant coefficient (dimensionless)

Gr :

Grashof number (dimensionless)

Pr :

Prandtl number (dimensionless)

Ra :

Rayleigh number (dimensionless)

g :

Acceleration due to gravity, 9.81 m/s2

υ:

Kinematic viscosity (m2/s)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, 641112, India

    J. Selvaraj, V. Harikesavan & A. Eshwanth

Authors
  1. J. Selvaraj
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  2. V. Harikesavan
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  3. A. Eshwanth
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Correspondence to J. Selvaraj.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Selvaraj, J., Harikesavan, V. & Eshwanth, A. A novel application of concentrated solar thermal energy in foundries. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 9312–9322 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4996-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4996-3

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