The Solar Chimney
What!? A Solar Chimney? What does solar power have to do with Santa Claus? Read this lens to find out.
Solar Tower Power Stations
A new solar technology clean energy solution is has been put to the test, and has been given the go-ahead for production in Australia.
This new solar power station is based on solar tower technology designed in Germany. The most fantastic thing about this new technology is the simplicity of its design, and its ingenious use of basic principles of physics to create energy.
So what is this new solar energy plant?
Also referred to as a solar chimney, this new solar tower uses solar energy in order to turn wind turbines.
Solar energy to turn wind turbines?
How does this work?
Well, the simplest way to describe it is to compare it to a huge greenhouse with a large chimney.
As we all know, hot air rises.
The greenhouse of the solar chimney system is used to capture the heat from the sun. The heated air in the greenhouse is then allowed to escape through a huge chimney.
Before the air escapes through the chimney, it is forced to pass through wind turbines, which are in turn used to generate electricity. You can see a diagram of it here.
This new solar power station is based on solar tower technology designed in Germany. The most fantastic thing about this new technology is the simplicity of its design, and its ingenious use of basic principles of physics to create energy.
So what is this new solar energy plant?
Also referred to as a solar chimney, this new solar tower uses solar energy in order to turn wind turbines.
Solar energy to turn wind turbines?
How does this work?
Well, the simplest way to describe it is to compare it to a huge greenhouse with a large chimney.
As we all know, hot air rises.
The greenhouse of the solar chimney system is used to capture the heat from the sun. The heated air in the greenhouse is then allowed to escape through a huge chimney.
Before the air escapes through the chimney, it is forced to pass through wind turbines, which are in turn used to generate electricity. You can see a diagram of it here.
How a Solar Chimney Works
A Centuries Old Technology
We've Been Using it in Fireplaces for Centuries!
The beauty of this technology is that it uses centuries-old tried-and-true principles of updraft. This is the same principles used for chimneys in open fire places. The reason your house doesn't fill up with smoke when you light a fire in your fireplace, is due to the suction created by the hot air rising up through the chimney. This pulls the smoke up through the chimney as well.
But in the case of the solar tower, we are not using a fire to create hot air. We are simply allowing the sun to do its thing: heat stuff up. In this case, the sun heats the air up, and the air rises through the solar chimney as a result.
But in the case of the solar tower, we are not using a fire to create hot air. We are simply allowing the sun to do its thing: heat stuff up. In this case, the sun heats the air up, and the air rises through the solar chimney as a result.
The Solar Power Tower
A Video of the Creation and an Interview of the Inventor on the Discovery Channel
curated content from YouTube
Facts about the Solar Tower (Solar Chimney)
- Australia is the first country to use this build this type solar energy power plant for commercial use.
- The central tower will be over 3000 feet high and 400 feet in diameter.
- It will use 750,000 cubic yards of concrete.
- The solar energy collector (greenhouse) will contain thirty-million square yards of space. That over three and a half miles in diameter.
- It will have 32 wind turbines placed at ground level, each capable of creating 6.25 megawatts of electricity.
- It will take 34 months to construct.
- It will provide a total of 200 megawatts, enough to provide solar energy in the form of electricity, for over 200,000 households.
- The solar tower will create absolutely no carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, or other pollutants in its energy generation process. In other words, it is going to be 100% eco-friendly.
Solar Power Tower Animation
curated content from YouTube
The History and Use of Solar Towers
Solar Chimneys in the Past
- This type of solar tower was first tested in Germany.
- Later, another smaller scale test project solar chimney/tower was built in Spain.
- The test project ran the solar chimney in Spain successfully for seven years, effectively proving that this was a workable solution.
- There are many locations around the world where this technology can be used successfully.
- Solar chimney power plants can be designed to store heat as well, so that they can continue to provide electricity at night - thus effectively allowing them to operate 24 hours a day.
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- Roshanth Roshanth Aug 4, 2009 @ 7:37 am
- I have heard about this, and seen several prototype models working. I am so glad that this is finally becoming a reality. Anyone know when the project is suppose to complete ?
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- WritingforYourWealth WritingforYourWealth Nov 3, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
- Interesting! I hadn't heard of solar chimneys (or towers). It'd be cool to see one in person.
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- teenmaterial teenmaterial Sep 18, 2008 @ 6:49 pm
- this is a very good lens, the best one on solar energy i read so far, i like the videos a lot as they give in themselves the full anatomy of this solar chimeny and is just interesting to see and know about.
i look forward to the day when all our energy is provided by such means (solor powered)
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- teenmaterial teenmaterial Sep 18, 2008 @ 6:39 pm
- very interesting lens, good to know that at least a few people are doing somehting about global warming, etc.
by solarstories
Photo at AllPosters.com
I support the use of solar power, a cleaner environment, Alternative Energy, and work against Global Warming.
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