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1. Introduction - Firenze University Press

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In the presented paper a framework for the integration of solar thermal-energy with processes<br />

featuring varying demand was developed. By applying this framework, the amount of solar thermalenergy<br />

can be determined, which can be potentially used within the process.<br />

As part of the algorithm, the current work offers a systematic procedure capable of identifying Time<br />

Slices with an assumed constant solar thermal-energy supply. It is an important step because, to<br />

date, Time Slices have mostly been detected heuristically, usually with equal lengths. However, the<br />

solar irradiation varies unevenly and the inaccuracy in such a model is high. This current model<br />

enables the user to set the accuracy wanted at the stage of analysis. Higher accuracy will result in a<br />

larger number of TSs.<br />

The presented case study used utility demand as a base case. It illustrated that the demand for a<br />

utility with constant availability (usually a fossil fuel) can be reduced by up to 27 % by utilising<br />

solar thermal-energy directly, without any storage. A further decrease of up to 15 % (on the same<br />

basis) can be achieved by introducing thermal-energy storage. The combined reduction in hot utility<br />

resulting from these two steps is about 42 %. This is a significant decrease, which should be<br />

encouraging enough taking solar thermal-energy in consideration, during the designing of a utility<br />

system.<br />

The formulated algorithm offers a simple and fast approach with the accuracy openly available as a<br />

degree of freedom for the user. Another important step for achieving better solutions is the<br />

simultaneous evaluation of heat supply and demand.<br />

As future work, the computer-aided synthesis of the developed framework will be pursued. As a<br />

further methodological development, shifting process operations in time (rescheduling) should be<br />

considered, in order to achieve as high a usage of direct transfer from solar thermal-energy as<br />

possible.<br />

7. Nomenclature<br />

HCU cold utility requirement, with constant availability, kW<br />

HDTE direct heat-transfer the solar thermal energy to process, kW<br />

HE<br />

excess of heat after heat recovery, kW<br />

HHU hot utility requirement, with constant availability, kW<br />

HSTE available solar thermal energy, kW<br />

HUR utility requirement after heat recovery, kW<br />

A0 initial overall amount of irradiation, kWh m -2<br />

a1 solar collector thermal loss coefficients, W °C -1 m -2<br />

a2 solar collector thermal loss coefficients, W °C -2 m -2<br />

ASi approximated supply over time-interval i, W m -2<br />

CP heat capacity flowrate, kW °C -1<br />

cTS combined time slice<br />

EDi the positive and negative difference between the real and approximated supplies<br />

together over time-interval i, W m -2<br />

G solar irradiation, W m -2<br />

I set of time boundaries<br />

i time boundaries of time intervals<br />

INA overall inaccuracy, kWh<br />

INi inaccuracy within time-interval i, kWh<br />

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