Publications

The geometric parameters of solar chimneys directly affect the heat absorption area and channel cross-sectional area, significantly influencing economic costs and system performance. This study employs mathematical design calculation and numerical simulation methods to investigate the turbulent flow and thermal performance of roof solar chimneys under different Rayleigh numbers and different geometric parameters, including cavity gap-to-width ratios and channel cross-sectional areas. The configurations of ventilated rooms connected to solar chimneys significantly affect the velocity distribution, turbulent flow patterns, and vortex ...

To combat the negative effects of climate change, the world must switch to sustainable and renewable energy sources. Solar Chimney Power Plants (SCPPs) have gained significant attention as a sustainable energy solution. SCPPs use sunlight to produce power by combining natural air movement with wind turbines. This review synthesizes and critically analyzes the advancements achieved in different dimensions of SCPPs, including numerical simulations, theoretical explorations, design considerations, material choices, and performance evaluations. A special focus is given to the development of Hybrid Solar Chimney Power Plants, which combi...

Solar chimneys may induce natural ventilation through solar radiation. However, sufficient theoretical studies are needed as a basis to fully exploit passive design in practical green building design. In this work, we investigate the heat transfer properties of turbulent natural convective flows in a combined solar chimney with a thermal flux at the absorption wall by means of theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. Two different flow patterns have been found, one with a clear thermal boundary layer flow pattern and the other without, based on high Rayleigh numbers. For flow development in these two flow regimes, the transie...

This work presents a novel sustainable approach to producing desalinated water (Wdes), green hydrogen ( ) and electrical energy (Eelc) using Hybrid Solar Chimney Power Plant (HSCPP) coupled with a water-splitting (WatSp) process. The HSCPP consists of a collector, absorber, chimney, bidirectional turbine outfitted with a seawater pool, and water electrolysis (Watelc) cell. The HSCPP harnesses solar energy to heat the air under the collector creating air movement within the structure, passing the bidirectional turbine, and producing Eelc. Sprinklers were fitted within the structure to operate the HSCPP as a cooling tower (CT) in the...

Solar chimney power plants (SCPP) exploit solar radiation to create an up-draft airflow to run a turbine. This article proposes an innovative design of an SCPP that consists of transparent glass covered solar collector. Outdoor experiments have been carried out in the arid climates of Tikrit city, Iraq, with galvanized metal tower installed instead of conventional PVC solar towers. Performance of the SCPP has been studied with and without transparent cover for collector periphery heights of 2 and 4 cm. Measurements of ambient temperature, chimney inlet temperature, interior and outlet air temperatures, humidity, air mass flow rate...

Solar Chimney Power Plants (SCPP) are among the promising solar thermal electricity generation technologies. Equipped with a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system, such technologies can overcome variations in the main driving factors such as solar radiation and ambient air temperature. This article presents a comprehensive semi-analytical model of a TES to predict the time-dependent performance of an SCPP. By introducing a Quality Factor of power generation (QF) that includes energy conversion efficiency and capacity factor, the effects of 15 TES materials have been studied on the plant performance. Results indicate no significant dif...

This study focuses on enhancing the heat collection performance of solar chimney systems (SCS). The effect of various sizing parameters on the square SCS with a single side inlet is investigated through experimental and numerical simulations for optimization. The experimental results demonstrate significant variation in temperature uniformity among absorbers made from different materials. The composite absorber consisting of bamboo glue board, aluminum, sand, and black high-density polyethylene foam board exhibits excellent temperature uniformity. Optimization is performed with heat collection efficiency and chimney inlet fluid velo...

This study investigates the effect of the collector-absorber inclination angle on the efficiency of Solar Chimney Power Plants (SCPPs). Unlike traditional models, where only the roof is tilted, this research examines the impact of tilting both the collector and absorber using the Manzanares prototype. Three inclination angles (0°, 15°, and 30°) were analyzed through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The results show that the inclination angle significantly influences solar energy capture and convective effects, promoting the upward flow of hot air toward the chimney. A 15° inclination provides an optimal balance be...

Integration of solar chimney is an effective passive strategy for facilitating fresh air flow and offering significant potential for building energy conservation. This research evaluates the optimal design and control strategy for a six-story office building that includes a solar chimney, focusing on stack effect ventilation and energy performance throughout the year. The ventilation rates in different configurations of solar chimney are compared to meet fresh air requirements. The results indicate that the separated solar chimney ensures uniform airflow across each floor, with ventilation standard-reaching rates ranging from 79.5 %...

This study aims to contribute to the operation’s continuity of solar chimney power plant (SCPP) by integrating geothermal water as an additional heat source. A prototype of (SCPP) with 8 m height and 12 m of collector diameter was built in Ouargla University. A spiral pipe of geothermal water was installed inside the collector. During the experiments, the temperatures’ profile were measured through the collector, the temperature of the chimney‘s entry as well as the air velocity in all cases namely: in the night under geothermal water heating and in daytime under solar irradiance coupled/uncoupled with geothermal water. The ex...