Design, Fabrication and Testing of Hybrid Parabolic Dish Concentrator, Stirling Engine & PCM-Storage in Oman

This work outlines the conceptualization, design, fabrication and parameters that influence the operation of direct hybridization of solar parabolic dishes with the thermal energy storage in phase change material (PCM) and hybrid Stirling engine. This mathematical method consists of two different sizes of parabolic dishes, PCM-storage and hybrid Stirling engine. The hybrid Stirling engine was used reflective heat to electrical energy in direct and indirect ways. The direct way involved using the sunrays directly from the parabolic dishes into the engine to generate energy. This was done simultaneously while charging the PCM-storage system for later use. For the indirect way, stored heat energy in the PCM-storage was used to supply heat energy to the Stirling engine for applications at night.
Tests were carried out to ensure the system performs optimally based on the design. Each part of prototype model was first tested alone and then later on as part of the complete system of the prototype model. This was carried out continuously over a period of 24hover a number of days.
The result from the experiments showed the system was designed to work for 24h,which depends on efficiency of parabolic concentrator, Stirling engine, heat transfer, and storage. The system combines the solar parabolic concentrator and solar energy storage connected in one system. The design, fabrication and testing of each part as well as the complete system were presented. Result presented hybrid Stirling engine proved promising, it was working, as it showed the ability to increase energy production from morning until midday and decreases as the sunset approaches. Also, PCM- storage system proved was working, as it showed the ability to store heat production from morning until sunset approaches and the ability to supply hybrid Stirling engine at night.
This project has shown positive steps towards the future of solar thermal technology; one major finding and benefit from this design is that energy generated during the day can be stored for applications during the night when there is no solar radiation. The design also offers the flexibility of adjusting storage area for more space. Moreover, the entire system is affordable, less cumbersome, and with greater ease of movement.