On the design and functionality of a solar chimney, Solar pressure-staged wind tunnel electric power Generating plant and an integrating sphere Calorimeter. I . I \

Abstract

The design and application of solar chimney and solar pressure-staged wind tunnel electric power generating plants involve the understanding of parameters which affect their operations and utilization. The size and dimensions of the systems are crucial factors for their power outputs in addition to environmental factors such as terrestrial radiation, wind speed and weather conditions. It is important to know how these factors are likely to affect the operation of full-scale systems under normal operational conditions prior to the actual design. The design and modelling offer a possibility to forecast how the system would operate before implementation. These processes give rise to systematic analysis and allow for material and parameter selections for the development of the perceived designs. This thesis documents a study of three experimental designs for Renewable Energy Technology (RET). The first two experiments comprise a study of the design and simulation of a solar chimney and a solar pressure-staged wind tunnel electric power . generating plant both of which can be useful for rural areas of developing countries. A study of the parameters that affect the operation of a model solar chimney and a solar pressure-staged wind tunnel electric power plant under various conditions was also carried out. The dimensions and conditions under which full-scale designs would operate were investigated for power output optimization purposes. Although solar chimney electric power plants have been investigated theoretically and experimentally by a number of researchers working in the area of renewable energy, literature on models for use in rural areas of developing countries is rather scanty. To the best of our knowledge, no literature exists for models of solar pressure-staged wind tunnel power generating plants apart from one which gives a brief theory of the system in