FRESNEL LENS: AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY TO NIGERIA’S ENERGY PROBLEM

*ABDUKKARIM HAMZA EL-LADAN1,2, &

SALEEM HUSSAIN ZAIDI2

1Physics Department/Center for Renewable Energy Research (CeRER)

Umaru Musa Yar`adua University Katsina, Nigeria

2Solar Energy Research Institute (Seri) Universiti Kebangsaan (National University) Malaysia

Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo 2014

Outline

(a)Motivation

(b)Background

(c)Methodology

(d)Experimental Results

(e)Summary and Future Work

Motivation

Availability of huge renewable energy resources in Nigeria/land mass

Existing model of centralized electricity distribution is wasteful and expensive

Large-scale carbon-based energy generation is environmentally unsustainable

Nigerian Population/Economic inequality is energy related (energy availability/consumption is linked to economic prosperity)

Micro-grid systems are sustainable (can survive man made and natural disasters

These are clear and compelling evidences that necessitate for the urgent need of transition from carbon-based fuels to renewable resources by developing small scale (CSP) system.

Electricity usage by sector in Nigeria 2009

Chart Title

Industry23%

Transport

0%

Residential37%

Commercial and Public Services

36%

Agriculture / Forestry

0%Other

4%

Chart Title

Background

CSP Systems: Thermal and electrical energy generation from Sun

Sunlight Heat

Heat Mechanical

Mechanical Electricity

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Heat-to-electricity generation system

Characteristics of Existing (CSP) Technology Systems

CSP

Reflective

Refractive

Parabolic TroughTower Linear Fresnel ReflectorParabolic DishFresnel lens

Occupy vast land~600m, Expensivemirrors, Temp ~400⁰C

Large heliostat~100-600, occupy Vast land ~150 hectares, temp~570⁰C At 3400psi Pressure and 25% eff

Temp ~1000⁰C,Conc ratio ~1000x,It has the highest Eff of 30% among CSP systems

Almost same properties with parabolic trough

Fresnel LensFresnel lens is a flat optical component mostly made from (PMMA) Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) with its surface made up of many small concentric grooves with each groove behaving like an individual prism, it`s material properties include; low weight, mechanical strength, temperature resistance, n = 1.4914 and inexpensive manufacturing. It will play great role in photo

thermal and photovoltaic direct energy generation with very little or no CO2

emissions.

Fresnel Schematic Fresnel Picture

Methodology

Pictures of the reflectors

Pictures for Concentrators under investigation with Data Collection System

Data Acquisition System Combine Reflective and Refractive Concentrator line up

for Data Collection

Fresnel Lens set up for Solar Cooker

Conical Frustum

Parabolic Trough Hexagonal Frustum

Experimental setupBoth reflective and refractive concentrators were lined up for an outdoor experiment, all connected to a data acquisition system to measure their respective stagnation temperature at no load, ambient temperature and solar irradiation.

1= Conical Frustum 2 = Hexagonal Frustum 3 = Parabolic Trough4 = 100cm Lens5 = 50cm Lens6 = Linear Lens7 = 25cm Lens 8 = Pyranometer9 = Thermocouple10 = Data Acquisition11 = Computer System

9

1 2

8

1011

7

4 5

6

3

Experimental Result

Stagnation Temperature Bar Graphs for Concentrators Under Investigation in Malaysia at 945W/M2

Optical Elements

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Tem

perature °C

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Conical FrustumHexagonal FrustumParabolic Trough100cm Fresnel Lens50cm Fresnel LensLinear Fresnel Lens25cm Fresnel Lens

Optical

Elements

Stagnation

Temperature ⁰C

at 945 W/m2

1: Conical

Frustum

228.8

2: Hexagonal

Frustum

163.5

3: Parabolic

Trough

85.3

4: 100cm

Spherical Lens

1300.2

5: 50cm Spherical

Lens

725.5

6: Linear Lens 517

7: 25cm Spherical

Lens

236.2

Thermal Efficiency Bar Graphs for Concentrators Under Investigation

Thermal efficiency of a collector is a better indicator of its thermal performance.Optical Elements Average Thermal

Efficiency

1: Conical Frustum 0.823

2: Hexagonal Frustum 0.711

3: Parabolic Trough 0.559

4: 100cm Spherical

Lens

0.958

5: 50CM Spherical

Lens

0.923

6: Linear Lens 0.871

7: 25cm Spherical

Lens

0.711

Optical Elements

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Th

erm

al E

fficie

nc

y0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2 Conical FrustumHexagonal FrustumParabolic Trough100cm Fresnel Lens50cm Fresnel LensLinear Fresnel Lens25cm Fresnel Lens

Figure of Merit Contour Graph for Concentrators Under Investigation

F.M characterize the performance of devices to determine their relative utility for an application

Concentrator Average figure of

Merit

1: Conical Frustum 0.197

2: Hexagonal

Frustum

0.110

3: Parabolic

Trough

0.066

4: 100cm

Spherical Lens

1.153

5: 50cm Spherical

Lens

0.644

6: Linear Lens 0.365

7: 25cm Spherical

Lens

0.189

Optical Elements

1 2 3 4 5 6 7F

igu

re o

f Me

rit0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4 Conical Frustum Hexagonal FrustumParabolic Trough100cm Fresnel Lens50cm Fresnel LensLinear Fresnel Lens25cm Fresnel Lens

3D graph showing Irradiation distribution below 50cm Fresnel Lens

in Malaysia

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

-20

-15-10

-50

510

1520

-20-15

-10-5

05

1015

20cm from lens

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600

850

900

950

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

-20

-15-10

-50

510

1520

-20-15

-10-5

05

1015

10cm from lens

850 900 950 1000 1050 1100 1150 1200

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

2200

-20

-15-10

-50

510

1520

-20-15

-10-5

05

1015

Z Data

30cm from lens

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

-20

-15-10

-50

510

1520

-20-15

-10-5

05

1015

Z Data

40cm from lens

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500

Thus these properties and performance in previous experiments makes Fresnel lens a prospective candidate for future photo thermal and photovoltaic direct energy generation with very little or no CO2 emissions, this concept was adapted by NASA in which they use 20x concentrator lens on their CPV crystalline silicon panels to produce electricity for deployment in spacecrafts. However in 2014 ford has unveil it`s new c-max car which has rooftop concentrating solar lenses expected to raise the harvest over five-fold.

Schematic diagram of charging solar panels attached to the new C-max car under the Fresnel lens canopy

Pictorial display of C-max Fresnel lens solar powered car

Measured stagnation temperature of 50cm Fresnel Lens in Malaysia and Nigeria

Time (min)

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Stag

natio

n T

emp

erature (°C

)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Irradiance(W/m2)Ambient Temperature (°C)Stagnation Temperature(°C)

Time (min)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Stag

natio

n T

emp

erature (°C

)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

Irradiance W/m2Ambient Temperature °CStagnation Temperature °C

Summary

Summary

• Reflective systems ~200-300 °C.

• Fresnel-lens refractive systems ~ 250 -1300 °C .

• Concentration ratios and temperature has a direct bearing on system efficiency,

• Spherical lenses temperature increase followed logarithmic dependence on diameter.

• Sunlight to thermal energy conversion for refractive are significantly superior to reflective systems.

• Fresnel lenses were determined to be the most desirable candidates for future thermal and electricity generation in tropics most especially Nigeria.

Future work (thermal and P.V energy harvesting with Fresnel Lens)

REFERENCES

[1] IEA 2013 Key world energy statistics

[2] Abdulkarim H E 2014 Comparative assessment of reflective and refractive optical concentration system in tropical climate unpublished thesis (University Kebangsaan Malaysia.

[3] Juliana S, Constantin N 2012 Thermal analysis of a linear fresnel lens solar collector with black body cavity receiver (U.P.B. Sci. Bull) Series D vol 74: p 4 ISSN 1454-2358

[4] http://www.thevoltreport.com/solar-powered-car-concept-c-max-made-by-ford-anticipated/

[5] Abdulkarim H E 2014 Performance Analysis of Fresnel Lens in Tropical Climatic Regimes: A case study of Malaysia and Nigeria p 5

Thank You and God Bless