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An innovative small dynamic water desalination plant was developed and tested under laboratory conditions. The system is a combination of a heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector, conventional condenser and novel fluid piston converter. Saline water is boiled and turned into vapour in the manifold of the solar collector. A small fraction of the solar energy supplied to the plant is used to drive the fluid piston converter. Oscillations of the fluid piston periodically change the volume and pressure in the plant. For the duration of approximately half of the periodic cycle the pressure in the plant drops below the atmospheric level causing flash boiling of saline water in the manifold of the solar collector. Generated vapour is turned into fresh water in the condenser which is surrounded by a cooling jacket with saline water. The flash boiling effect improves the fresh water production capacity of the plant. Additionally, the fluid piston converter drives a pump which provides lifting of saline water from a well and pumps this through the cooling jacket of the condenser to a saline water storage tank. This tank replenishes saline water in the manifold of the solar collector. Experimental investigations demonstrated the saline water self-circulation capability of the plant and increase in the fresh water production compared to the static mode of operation. Experimental data was also used to calibrate the mathematical model of the plant. Comparison of theoretical and experimental information demonstrates that the model accurately predicts the performance of the plant. The proposed novel system with greater fresh water production capacity has a simple design and is easy to manufacture using low cost materials and therefore can be mass deployed for small scale saline water pumping and desalination across different regions with the relatively high solar radiation and shortage in the drinking water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The continuous increase in the level of greenhouse gas emissions and the climb in fuel prices are the main driving forces behind efforts to more effectively utilise various sources of renewable energy. In many parts of the world, direct solar radiation is considered to be one of the most prospective sources of energy. However, the large-scale utilisation of this form of energy is possible only if the effective technology for its storage can be developed with acceptable capital and running costs. One of prospective techniques of storing solar energy is the application of phase change materials (PCMs). Unfortunately, prior to the large-scale practical application of this technology, it is necessary to resolve numerous problems at the research and development stage. This paper looks at the current state of research in this particular field, with the main focus being on the assessment of the thermal properties of various PCMs, methods of heat transfer enhancement and design configurations of heat storage facilities to be used as a part of solar passive and active space heating systems, greenhouses and solar cooking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A novel cooling system with a simple design was developed. • The system is based on fluid piston machines and solar collector. • The system was tested on a solar radiation simulation test rig. • The experimental performance results of the system are analysed. • The prototype's performance is comparable to that of main existing technologies. The development of novel and improvement of existing technologies for utilising solar thermal energy for cooling purposes traditionally attracts increased attention in both industry and academia. This work presents the development of a novel cooling system with a simple design and direct utilisation of solar thermal energy. The cooling system combines a liquid piston engine and cooling machine and is driven by an evacuated tube solar collector. A prototype of such the system was designed, built and tested in laboratory conditions using a solar radiation simulator. Variations in pressures, temperatures, and the fluid piston oscillation amplitudes in the system during its operation were recorded, and the indicated power of the engine and cooling capacity of the system were determined for a range of operation and design parameters. For the heat input range of 700–900 W and the constant temperature of the cooling water equal to 26.0 °C, the engine indicated power and cooling capacity of the system varied in the range of 70.0–88.0 and 51.0–61.0 W. The corresponding indicated efficiency of the engine and cooling system were in the range of 10.0–9.7 and 7.2–6.7%. The temperature in the cooling chamber was registered in the range of 20.0–18.2 °C at an ambient temperature of 24.0 °C. The COP of the cooling machine decreased from 0.71 to 0.69. The system performance improved in tests with a constant heat input (700 W) and reducing cooling water temperature. For cooling water temperature reduction from 26.0 to 18.0 °C, the engine indicated power and cooling capacity of the system varied in the range of 70.0–111.9 and 51.0–72.0 W. The corresponding indicated efficiency of the engine and cooling system were in the range of 10.0–16.0 and 7.2–10.3%. The COP of the cooling machine decreased from 0.71 to 0.64. The temperature in the cooling chamber was registered in the range of 20.0–14.4 °C at an ambient temperature of 24.0 °C. Experimental results obtained using the system's initial design demonstrate that the engine has efficiency comparable to low-temperature steam and Organic Rankine Cycle turbines. The Coefficient of Performance of the system is similar to that of single-stage absorption chillers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Solar energy and PCM are used to augment the indoor steam curing process. • Mathematical model of the curing process is developed. • Comparison with experiments confirms the accuracy of the mathematical modelling. • Benefits of the proposed technology are quantitively demonstrated. Steam is used to provide heating and moisture in the curing process for the production of precast concrete (PC) construction elements. The generation of steam requires large amounts of fossil fuels. This study considers the incorporation of solar thermal energy into the steam curing of PC construction elements for reducing the need for fossil fuels and associated CO 2 emissions. For this purpose, the board made of composite phase change material covers the inner surface of the main sun-facing wall in the heating & curing building. The PCM board is heated by sun rays and accumulates thermal energy during the PCM's phase transition, and this energy then is released to the indoor environment of the building, reducing the amount of steam required to maintain a certain level of temperature during the curing process. The energy consumption simulation software, EnergyPlus, and two physical models (built on the scale of 1:3) were used to study the effects of two different PCMs on the thermal performance of such new type of heating & curing buildings. Composite PCMs considered were GH-33 and GH-37 with 33 and 37 °C melting temperatures developed by the research team. The theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement and demonstrate that, compared to the GH-33, GH-37 PCM increases the temperature of the inner surface of the main sun-facing wall and the upper surface temperature of the PC construction element by 3.4 and 1.4 °C, respectively. The heat accumulation and discharge rates also were greater by 62%. For the investigated design of the building and given location in China, the deployment of studied PCM wall panels results in a reduction in the annual energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 58.6 GJ and 5 tons, respectively. The method developed for applying solar energy and selecting PCMs for augmenting steam curing of PC construction elements can be deployed in different geographical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rapid calculation of physical dimensions of passive solar greenhouses was derived. • The correctness of the proposed analytical method was experimentally confirmed. • The rapid calculation method is valid for a wide range of geographical latitudes. Space formation of passive solar greenhouses plays a dominant role in the creation of required lighing and thermal conditions and in increasing the efficiency of solar energy utilisation. In this study, the energy balance equation analysis was implemented in EnergyPlus software to numerically model the thermal performance of a passive solar greenhouse, located in the Beijing Region. Comparison of numerical and experimental data indicated a high prediction accuracy of the numerical model, which then was used to conduct a parametric analysis of the effect of main physical dimensions on the energy performance of such greenhouses. As a result, a range of rational values of physical dimensions was proposed for this type of greenhouses. The originality of the research approach is using parametric analysis data, obtained from the calibrated numerical model of greenhouses, to derive novel analytical correlations for rapid calculation of the main physical dimensions of passive solar greenhouses. The correctness of the proposed novel analytical method for calculation of main physical dimensions of passive solar greenhouses was experimentally confirmed in a series of comparative physical tests on various greenhouse models. The advantage of the proposed analytical correlations is that these are valid for a wide range of geographical latitudes in China and other regions, where a similar type of greenhouses can be exploited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]