Session: 18-05 HelioCon Modeling & Training

Paper Number: 142552

142552 - An Educational Program on Concentrated Solar Power and Heliostats for Power Generation and Industrial Processes 

Abstract: 

An Educational Program on Concentrated Solar Power and Heliostats for Power Generation and Industrial Processes

Benjamin Lynch, Gregory Kowalski, Yiannis Levendis and Hameed Metghalchi*

Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department

Northeastern University

Boston, MA 02461

 

Abstract

 

Northeastern University’s (NU) program, “An Educational Program on Concentrated Solar Power and Heliostats for Power Generation and Industrial Processes”, has seen success over the first few months of its execution. With the rising interest in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), the aim of the program is to spread awareness and develop several educational avenues for students and industry professionals alike to explore and familiarize themselves with CSP technology. A major objective of this project is to develop a graduate-level special concentrated solar energy course revolving around the applications of solar-thermal technologies and the process of simulating them. The coursework investigates heliostat and receiver design, optical performance analysis, and thermal analysis of CSP systems at the design detail and systems level to prepare students to evaluate their performance compared to other renewable energy systems. In addition to the graduate course, the program aims to develop five one-day short courses aimed at industry practitioners and the public, mirroring content seen in the graduate-level course. In addition to the developed coursework, NU has offered other opportunities for the student community to delve into CSP. Since the start of the Summer of 2023, NU has integrated several ongoing senior projects in their capstone program, allowing engineering students opportunities to explore several specific applications within the CSP space, including: the development of a deformable heliostat, a heliostat control system, and a CSP-driven pyrolysis reactor. An NU Master’s student’s project was also completed discussing the efficacy of a new CSP receiver design aimed at being implemented in city environments. Outside of direct coursework, the program was displayed at NU’s Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Endeavors (SOURCE) to gauge and garner interest in CSP technology. Alongside this, NU has partnered with the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Programs (LSAMP) to create opportunities for LSAMP students to conduct a summer research project related to the cleanliness of heliostat mirrors. Through this program, NU’s goal is to enrich both students and professionals with knowledge of the growing importance of CSP. Two undergraduate chemical engineers from LSAMP group participated in reseach in summer 2023 and the results were very impressive. The plan is to do the same in SUmmer 2024.

 

*Corresponding author, Metghalchi@coe.neu.edu

Presenting Author: Mohamad Metghalchi Northeastern Univ

Presenting Author Biography: Professor Metghalchi has been involved in energy research for the last 45 years. He was department Chair of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Northeastern University for 8 years. He was also interim Dean of college of engineering at Northeastern University for a year. Currently, he is Editor-in Chief of ASME Open Journal of Engineering. He received his Sc.D. degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980.

Authors:

Mohamad Metghalchi Northeastern Univ
Yiannis Levendis Northeastern University
Gregory Kowalski Northeastern University
Benjamin Lynch Northeastern.edu