Examples of ongoing research projects:
- Solar heating plant with concentrating tracking solar collectors and flat plate solar collectors. The thermal performance of a solar collector field consisting of tracking concentrating solar collectors and flat plate solar collectors in a solar heating plant will be measured and analysed. A simulation model for the solar collector fields will be developed and validated by means of the measurements. The suitability of the concept of combining CSP collectors and flat plate collectors will be evaluated for Danish weather conditions based on calculations with the model. The project is carried out in cooperation with Aalborg CSP A/S.
- Developement of combined CSP/flat plate collector for solar heating plants. A new solar collector for solar heating plants will be developed by POLYCSP ApS. The collector will be a flat plate collector with integrated mirrors concentrating solar radiation on a number of parallel connected pipes. The efficiency of the collector, which has a variable collector tilt during operation, will be measured in a laboratory test facility for solar collectors. A row of the developed collectors will be installed and demonstrated in Sæby solar heating plant. The project is carried out in cooperation with PolyCSP ApS and Sæby solar heating plant.
- IEA Task 55 Large scale solar district heating and cooling systems. The aim of the project is to further develop and evaluate the thermal performance of differently designed solar heating plants. The project is carried out in cooperation with international leading research institutes.
- CSP plant with biomass heat and power plant and ORC system. The first Danish centralized solar energy system for combined heating and electricity production will be established in Brønderslev. Concentrating tracking solar collectors will produce the energy at temperatures between 300°C and 400°C. The performance of the collector field and the energy system will be measured and analysed. Cooperation with Aalborg CSP A/S, PlanEnergi and Brøderslev Fjernvarme.
- IEA Task 52 Solar Thermal & Energy economics in urban environments. Evaluation of the role of solar energy systems in the future energy system will be carried out. Both centralized and decentralized solutions will be considered. The project will be carried out in cooperation with Aalborg University and PlanEnergi.
- SHINE. Cooperation with leading European universities on Ph.D. education on solar heating. Coordination on Ph.D. courses on solar heating in EU.
- Experimental and theoretical investigations of combined solar heating/heat pump systems for single family houses. Test of a solar heating/heat pump system in DTU’s laboratory test facility for solar heating systems. Development and validation of detailed simulation model for the solar heating/heat pump system. Calculations of thermal performance of differently designed systems for different one family houses.
- Development of solar/heat pump system with stone dust heat storage for schools and institutions. Test of a solar heating/heat pump system in DTU’s laboratory test facility for solar heating systems. Development and validation of detailed simulation model for the solar heating/heat pump system. Calculations of thermal performance of differently designed systems for different institutions.
- Development of PVT/heat pump systems. Test of demonstration system producing both electricity and heat in a laboratory test facility for solar heating systems. Cooperation with RACELL and COWI.
- Sino Danish Center. Research on solar energy will be carried out in cooperation with leading Chinese research institutes and universities. Workshops on solar energy will be organized in China for Chinese university students. Further, a Ph.D. study focused on development and demonstration of compact seasonal heat storage based on a salt hydrate, sodium acetate trihydrate, with a stable supercooling is carried out. The heat storage can be used as a part of a solar heating system which can fully cover the yearly heat demand of new buildings in Denmark. Among other things, a solar heating system with a compact long term heat storage will be tested in laboratory test facilities for solar heating systems at the Technical University of Denmark.
- Seasonal heat storage for solar heating plants. Experience and measurements from water pond stores in Marstal solar heating plant, Dronninglund solar heating plant and Gram solar heating plant are gained and analysed. Experience and measurements from the borehole storage in Brædstrup solar heating plant are gained and analysed. Cooperation with PlanEnergi and plant owners.
- Development of polymer inlet stratifier for water stores. Tests of performance and durability of new inlet stratifiers. Cooperation with EyeCular Technologies ApS.
- IEA Task 54 Price reduction of solar thermal systems. Investigation on how to reduce the price of small solar heating systems. Both solar domestic hot water systems and solar combi systems will be investigated. The focus will be on drain back solar heating systems using prefabricated easy to install components. Focus will also be on use of inexpensive pressure less polymer tanks. Cooperation with international leading research institutes and companies.
- Development of air collector for dehumidification. An air collector with a layer of silica gel will be developed and tested in the laboratory with regard to efficiency and ability to dehumidify the air pumped through the collector. Different operation strategies for the collector will be investigated in order to elucidate how the air passing through the collector best will dry out the silica gel in sunny periods and how the air best is dried out by the silica gel in periods with ventilation of buildings. Cooperation with SolarVenti A/S.
- Development of PVT modules for heating, cooling and electricity production. Cooperation with RACELL SAPHIRE and COWI A/S on development and tests in laboratory test facilities of new advanced PVT panels.
- Development of PCM heat storage. Cooperation with the German company H.M. Heizkörper on development of new heat of fusion heat stores.
- Solar radiation measurements. At the roof top of one of the buildings of DTU long term measurements of solar radiation are carried out. Direct radiation, global radiation and diffuse radiation are measured. Based on the measurements new solar radiation models are developed.
- IEA Task 58 Material and component development for thermal storage systems. Experimental investigations and development of heat storage module based on sodium acetate trihydrate from Nilan A/S. Also, investigations of a combined solar heating/heat pump system with a PCM heat storage will be carried out.
- Test methods for solar collector fields. Theoretical investigations on the suitability of different test methods for solar collector fields will be carried out. The aim is to recommend a test method on thermal performance of solar collector fields for standardization.
- Drone with IR camera for solar collector fields. Investigations on the flow distribution in large solar collector fields will be carried out by using a drone equipped with an IR camera. The aim is to develop a fast method to check the flow distribution in large solar collector fields.
- Development of high efficient flat plate collectors. Theoretical investigations on the efficiency and thermal performance of differently designed flat plate collectors are carried out. The investigations are used by Linuo, China in their efforts to develop economically attractive solar collectors.
- Development of CSP collectors. Experimental investigations on CSP solar collectors for solar heating plants are carried out. The investigations are used by Absolicon Solar Collector AB, Sweden in their efforts to improve their marketed solar collectors.