Welcome to "EG3007 Solar Thermal, 7.5 credits" at Dalarna University

Why?

Transforming solar radiation into heat and actively using it for different thermal loads is one of the main uses of solar energy. In this course the fundamentals for this branch of solar energy are taught so that they can be used in the second part of this course and in other courses. The central part of the course is the physics of the solar collector, the component that converts the radiation into heat and then to the heat transfer medium that can then be pumped/blown to storage and the loads. Heat transfer and optics are the main phenomena that are covered.

This lays the foundation for the second course in solar thermal, design of solar thermal systems, in which you learn a lot more about the components required in a system and have a project to make a detailed design of a solar thermal system. Some of the fundamentals are also used in the solar thermal power and solar building design courses.
 

What?

The course is split into two parts. The first part is on collector physics: heat transfer and optics. This is mostly assessed in a home assignment (1.5 cr) where students do a techno-economic optimization of a flat plate collector. The second part is on storage and loads, solar thermal systems (residential and large scale) as well as for hot climates (solar cooling, drying, cooking and distillation). These topics are assessed in the exam (5 cr). Another 1 cr is for the large-scale system lab. There are the following learning outcomes in the course.

• Analyse and discuss the physical processes that determine the output of a solar thermal collector, and relate this to mathematical models that can be used to calculate this output.
  • • Assessed in home assignment.
• Calculate the optical parameters of absorbers, reflectors and transparent materials as well as compare their characteristics.
  • • Assessed in written exam.
• Describe and evaluate different thermal loads and be able to estimate them using mathematical models.
  • • Assessed in written exam.
• Describe the design of different solar thermal systems and compare their suitability for given boundary conditions.
  • • Assessed in written exam.
• Calculate the storage capacity for different heat storage techniques and determine their suitability for given boundary conditions.
  • • Assessed in written exam.
• Describe the function of the most important components necessary in a solar thermal system and the testing standards in Europe that are used to evaluate them.
  • • Assessed in lab report.
• Analyze and explain the functioning of different designs of solar cookers, stoves, cooling systems, desalination methods and dryers.
  • • Assessed in written exam.

How?

The course has lectures, seminars, one practical lab on residential systems/storage and a theoretical home assignment (mini project) that also includes a “getting started” lab for the tools used in the assignment. These two labs are obligatory. For each of the topics assessed in the exam (residential systems, large scale systems, uses in hot climates) there is an exercise session where you can train on exam like questions and discuss them in smaller groups.

Some of the lectures on storage, loads and introduction to residential systems are not taught “live”, even in “normal” years, but are pre-recorded and uploaded in Learn.

In 2024 the course will be run “blended”, i.e., with mostly campus teaching that is streamed for those not able to attend. The lab will also be possible to do online, although it is much better to do on campus if possible.

Content

• Course introduction (Pei)
• Flat plate collector theory (Pei)
  • collector theory (pre-recorded) + Q&A
  • +Seminar on collector efficiency and testing of flat plate and concentrating
  • +Home assignment on collector cost-benefit optimization incl. intro and lab
• Optical properties and concentration (Puneet)  
• Hot climates (Chris)  
  • Cooling
  • Distillation
  • Drying and cooking
  • +Exercise session hot climates
• Residential systems (Chris)  + pre-recorded lectures
  • Residential loads (pre-recorded)
  • Storage: general + charge/discharge of water stores (pre-recorded)
  • Systems general classifications + performance indicators (pre-recorded)
  • Residential systems
  • +Exercise session residential systems
• Large scale systems (Puneet)
  • SDH
  • Concentrating solar collectors
  • Solar heating for industrial process
  • +Exercise session large scale systems
  • +Laboratory

	Course Syllabus			Contact information
	Reading List			Pei Huang Course Coordinator, Course introduction, Collector physics. phn@du.se
Detailed Course plan and instruction	EG3007 extended schedule HT24_updated.docx			Chris Bales Teacher and examiner, Hot climates, Residential systems cba@du.se
				Puneet Saini Teacher, Optics, Large scale systems pks@du.se