Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Research in the Renewable Energy Field

DAAD Meeting 10th April 2013 Pretoria Engineering Research in Renewable Energy

Thomas Harms

Prayer helps of your brain

to let both halves talk to each other..

Department of Mechanical and Megatronic Engineering http://mecheng.sun.ac.za University of Stellenbosch

Shams 1 - 100 MW Parabolic Trough Plant commissioned 2013 United Arab Emirates (Masdar, Total, Abengoa Solar)

Outline:
(20 min.) Introduction Renewable Energy Atmospheric flows Two-phase flow 2nd generation biofuel Fluid-structure interaction

Conclusion
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/03/shams-20130317.html 27 March 2013

Electrical Power Generation

50 km x 50 km ~ 100 000 MWe potential ~ 3 x current needs

www.eskom.co.za

Renewable Energy

Some (Renewable) Energy Theses (2012):

SA needs to add ~1.5 GW power generation capacity annually (current demand, ageing fleet, 6 % growth target, social peace)
Renewable energy is about our resource, CO2, boosting tourism, employment,
boosting science (SKA) but mostly about the success of the country now.
=> We need to open up all the energy streams we can also by mobilizing independent power producers!

We need sustainably (not cheaply) priced power in ample and stable supply to optimise an investment climate for economic development
Amazing [amma-zing]: It is all happening in South African now!

South Africa needs renewable power now to address peak load issues, Germany needs renewable power now to address base load issues. Natural and synthetic gas (Sasol) may well have to play a role here.

Vision of a Solar Chimney Field in Namibia

Green Tower Development (Pty.) Ltd. - MD Wolf-Walter Stinnes

Renewable Energy

Stellenbosch University Solar Power Thermodynamic (SUNSPOT) Cycle Professor Detlev Krger 2008

What is CFD?

Applications of CFD

Flow field simulations, derived from the assembly of inter-dependent solutions of Control Volume Types Sewis van Zyl, equations of natural laws, PhD(Eng), 2012 by application to e.g. millions (computers are essential) of subdivision (e.g. finite volumes) of the space examined.

Eugne Joubert, MScEng, 2010

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Jrg Schlaich, The Solar Chimney, (Das Aufwindkraftwerk), Edition Axel Menges, Stuttgart 1995,German version 1994.

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Solar chimney plant, Manzanares, Spain (1981-1989) [solar to electric efficiency ~ 2 %]

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Research Objective: Establish a model for sub-meteorological scale conditions (no cross winds) to help to detect possible problem conditions for plant operation

500 km3 computational domain

Rhydar Harris MScEng(2004)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

500 km3 computational domain

CFD (CFX 4-4): axi-symmetric model

Rhydar Harris MScEng(2004)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Atmospheric Physics:
Troposphere Buoyant plumes, thermals Water vapor Compressibility Thermal profiles Low viscosity Large scales Coriolis forces 11 km transient, unstable, unpredictable puffs condensation, thermal variable density vary throughout the day highly turbulent, very large to small scales vertical rotational wind

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Rhydar Harris MScEng(2004)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Rhydar Harris MScEng(2004)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Streamlines at collector inlet

Rhydar Harris MScEng(2004)

Eugne Joubert, MScEng, 2010

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Desert Ecological Research and Training Centre Gobabeb (Google Imagery, 2011 Teuns Cloete - BEng)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Eugne Joubert, MScEng, 2010

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Verification of Monin Obukhov atmospheric theory with CFD and experimental data. Maintenance of a stable atmospheric boundary layer velocity profile

Cobus Pieterse MScEng 2013

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Bernard Siepker (UNST) Ongoing PhD(Eng) Projects Investigates the Namibian Wind Resource.
Gobabeb 30 m

Terrace Bay

Omatjette

Location of Masts
Gobabeb

MTC - Kashweka MTC - Sheunye Telecom Namibia - Kashweka NamPower GTRC - Sheunye

Klein Aub

Vaalgras Kanas

Oranjemund

Bernard Siepker (UNST) Ongoing PhD(Eng) Studies

(Wannoncott, 2007)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

CFD Study to locate wind turbines in the vicinity of the South African research base SANAE IV in Antarctica

Johan Stander MScEng 2010

Shams 1 - 100 MW Parabolic Trough Plant commissioned 2013 United Arab Emirates (Masdar, Total, Abengoa Solar)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Outline:
(20 min.) Introduction Renewable Energy Atmospheric flows 2nd generation biofuel Fluid-structure interaction Two-phase flow Conclusion

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/03/shams-20130317.html 27 March 2013

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Study of Airborne Sand Particle Impingement on Photo Voltaic Panels at Gobabeb

At the time 25 kW largest PV system in Namibia (battery storage diesel hybrid)

Julian Cloete BEng - 2005 Photo: Joh Henschel - 2005
Harms 2005

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Sandstorm approaching Gobabeb Julian Cloete BEng - 2005

UCSB Department of Geology, 2005

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Julian Cloete BEng - 2005 Wind tunnel experiment

Shams 1 - 100 MW Parabolic Trough Plant commissioned 2013 United Arab Emirates (Masdar, Total, Abengoa Solar)

Atmospheric Flow Modeling

Outline:
(20 min.) Introduction Renewable Energy Atmospheric flows Two-phase flow 2nd generation biofuel Fluid-structure interaction

Conclusion
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/03/shams-20130317.html 27 March 2013

Two-phase Flow

Evacuated Tube Receiver (with selective coating)

Synthetic oil heat transfer fluid - does not boil 400 C Alternative direct solar steam (DISS) generation plant one commercial plant to date Boiling process has not been successfully modelled. Johan Heyns CSIR - PhD(Eng) 2013 improved liquid- compressible gas interface capturing. Fine Wilms Postdoc 2013/14/16 will investigate boiling heat transfer http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/03/shams-20130317.html 27 March 2013

Globalspec 2012

Stefan Foot BEng - 2012

Two-phase Flow

Two-phase Flow

Image falling droplet Johan Heyns - CSIR, PhD(Eng) 2013 [in collaboration with Prof Arnaud Malan UCT]

http://www.rechargenews.com/solar/article1293523.ece 7-Apr-2013

Two-phase Flow

Solarlite GmBH near Rostock, Germany http://www.solarlite.de 7-Apr-2013

First Commercial Direct Solar Steam Plant in Thailand, 5 MW, 350 C, 30 bar

Modelling Cellulose to Ethanol Conversion

2nd Generation Biofuel

Image by Ben Mills, available on Wikipedia

The closed biofuel cycle

http://www.greentechnolog.com/

Dr. J.M. van Zyl PhD(Eng) 2012

[in collaboration with Prof Lee Lynd (DC) Prof Emile van Zyl (US)]

http://myhydros.org/

Modelling Cellulose to Ethanol Conversion

2nd Generation Biofuel

Dr. J.M. van Zyl PhD(Eng) 2012

[in collaboration with Prof Lee Lynd (DC) Prof Emile van Zyl (US)]

Fluid-structure interaction
OpenFOAM (CFD) Code Aster (FEM) Professional open source codes freely available on the internet

Heliostat PhD(Eng) Project Thomas Roos CSIR - Ongoing

Cantilever beam penetrating into wind tunnel PhD(Eng) Eugne Joubert Ongoing In collaboration with Prof Gerhard Venter - US Adhikar Hariram - MEng(Research) Ongoing In collaboration with Paul Gauch

Fluid-structure interaction

Cantilever beam vortex shedding inducing vibration PhD(Eng) - Eugne Joubert Ongoing in collaboration with Prof Gerhard Venter (US)

US Engineering Faculty New Computational Resource:

We have a cluster but

Central receiver solar power plant, Barstow, California, 10 MWe [solar to electric efficiency ~ 15 %] Eskom plant (start construction 2014): 210 m tower, 6000 heliostats ~ 100 MWe

Neil Coetzee (1996) BEng Design of solar power plant for SA

Dr Remar (Mech.Eng, SU) & Mike Prarie (Sandia Laboratories, USA)

28 19 xx ++ xx

1425 MW R47 billion 1043 MW R28 billion 1165 MW ~3725 MW by 2016 3200 MW by 2020 1000 MW/annum

Conclusion

Gemasolar, Seville, Spain 20 MWe 15 h molten salt thermal storage

Enjoy!

A renewable energy industry will help to address the short to medium term electricity supply shortfall of Southern Africa and, like other Mega Projects (SKA, more nuclear power plants) create ample cutting edge high tech employment opportunities for technologists, engineers and scientists. You are needed!