Solar Thermal

Question 1

What is solar thermal?

Answer 1

Using incident solar energy to generate useful thermal energy

Question 2

What is passive solar?

Answer 2

Passive solar is using simple ideas without mechanical or electronic devices

Question 3

What are the types passive solar?

Answer 3

Direct gain, indirect gain and isolated gains

Question 4

What is the U-value of a material?

Answer 4

U-value is the thermal performance, lower the better

Question 5

What is the daylight factor?

Answer 5

Ratio of internal light to external light

Question 6

Name three advantages of passive solar

Answer 6

Simple designs, little to no maintenance, and reduced fossil fuel dependence

Question 7

Name three disadvantages of solar thermal

Answer 7

Can be expensive if retrofitted to existing buildings, dependent on local climate and reduced efficiency

Question 8

What do solar water heaters consist of?

Answer 8

Solar collection panels, pumping systems and storage tanks

Question 9

What are the types of solar water heaters?

Answer 9

Unglazed, flat- plate water heater, flat-plate solar air heater and evacuated tube solar water heater

Question 10

Name three advantages of solar water heaters

Answer 10

Zero emissions, high cost and low efficiency

Question 11

What is a thermosyphon system?

Answer 11

This is a pumped storage system where water flows down tank where it is heated by the sun, warmer water rises to storage tank by convection

Question 12

Name three disadvantages of solar water heaters

Answer 12

Expensive, low efficiency and hazard of transfer fluid leaks

Question 13

What is a heat engine?

Answer 13

A heat engine takes in lower temperatures and produces higher temperatures

Question 14

What are the types of solar concentrators?

Answer 14

Parabolic linear reflector, fresnel linear reflector, point focus tower and point focus dish

Question 15

name three advantages of solar concentrators

Answer 15

good efficiency, fuel used is free, storage can be incorporated

Question 16

name three disadvantages of solar concentrators

Answer 16

lots of land required, high construction cost, eyesore

Question 17

What does a solar chimney consist of?

Answer 17

A collector slope, tall hollow chimney and wind turbines inside the chimney

Question 18

What is a freshwater solar pond?

Answer 18

This is when water is trapped beneath insulating layers and a black layer

Question 19

What is a saltwater gradient?

Answer 19

uses heat to cause a salinity difference where hot water can be extracted

Question 20

Name three advantages of solar ponds

Answer 20

Simple to manufacture, can produce salt as a byproduct and reduced emissions

Question 21

Name three disadvantages of solar ponds

Answer 21

Replacement of evaporated water, risk of transfer fluid leak and low efficiency

Question 22

What is a closed ocean cycle?

Answer 22

Temperature difference of surface water and deep ocean is used, water is pumped from surface to evaporator to a heat exchanger to drive a turbine

Question 23

What is an open ocean cycle

Answer 23

This is when surface water is in a vacuum to produce low pressure steam to turn a turbine

Question 24

Name one advantage and disadvantage of ocean cycles

Answer 24

Advantage is producing fresh water and disadvantage is construction cost

Question 25

How does the sterling engine work

Answer 25

Sterling engine works by pressure changes in gases which push a piston up producing mechanical power and in turn electricity