A feasibility study of solar ponds for Wisconsin industrial process heat applications -- Impact of lining material
- Marquette Univ., Milwaukee, WI (United States). Coll. of Engineering
An economic feasibility study of a salinity gradient solar pond for providing industrial process heat (IPH) in the state of Wisconsin is presented. A survey of current low temperature energy load demands of several companies within Wisconsin was completed. The data obtained was analyzed using a microcomputer based program to assess feasibility. Economic feasibility and thermal performance depends upon area. The area of the pond would determine the corresponding quantities of excavation, salt and lining material required to establish a salinity gradient solar pond (SGSP). The cost of the lining material also has a large impact upon the economic feasibility of a SGSP. The results of the economic feasibility study of a SGSP based on the selection of four types of liners is presented. These liners are a high density polyethylene (HDPE) liner, two forms of a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) and a chemical and weather resistant polymer coated polyester fabric liner (XR-5). For a load of 10,000 GJ/month on an annual operating schedule for the most favorable economic performance resulted from a geosynthetic clay liner with a high density polyethylene backing. For a 10,000 m{sup 2} pond a payback of 8.4 years can be obtained with a unit cost of $$43.20/m{sup 2}. It was also determined that if a larger load was demanded and the corresponding optimal area was provided the economic feasibility of a SGSP increased greatly. For a load of 100,000 GJ/Month on an annual operating schedule, using the same lining material, the optimal pond area was found to be 35,800 m{sup 2}, with a discounted payback of 3.8 years and a unit cost of $$35.40/ms{sup 2}. Similar results were obtained for the other materials. From these findings it appears that a SGSP using a geosynthetic clay liner with HDPE backing will be economically feasible for a load of 10,000 GJ/month. The economic feasibility improves with increased thermal load and the corresponding optimal pond area.
- OSTI ID:
- 109854
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950725-; ISBN 0-89553-167-4; TRN: IM9543%%155
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SOLAR `95: national solar energy conference: 10,000 solutions - paths to a renewable future, Minneapolis, MN (United States), 15-20 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Solar `95: Technical papers. Proceedings of the 1995 annual meeting of the American Solar Energy Society; Campbell-Howe, R.; Wilkins-Crowder, B. [eds.]; PB: 456 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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