Degradation of solar concentrator performance in the aftermath of Mount Pinatubo

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Solar Energy (Journal of Solar Energy Science and Engineering); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-092X(94)90070-1· OSTI ID:5173937

Michalsky, J J; Perez, R; Seals, R ^[1]; Ineichen, P ^[2]

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1. State Univ. of New York, Albany, NY (United States)
2. Universite de Geneve (Switzerland)

The Mexican volcano El Chichon and the Philippine volcano Mount Pinatubo injected approximately 6 and 20 million metric tons of SO[sub 2] into the stratosphere, respectively. This, subsequently, produced H[sub 2]SO[sub 4]H[sub 2]O aerosol of twice the initial mass of SO[sub 2]. El Chichon aerosol was confined largely to the northern hemisphere, while Mount Pinatubo aerosol was more evenly divided between hemispheres. Although the Pinatubo aerosol mass was about three times that of El Chichon, it produced less than a triple enhancement in aerosol in the northern hemisphere (the relative increase was 50%) because of this more uniform global spreading. Mount Pinatubo aerosol is shown to have a 15-20% peak extinction effect on direct beam radiation at northern hemisphere sites at 32[degrees]N, 40[degrees]N, and 46[degrees]N. This provides rather convincing evidence that the effect is large at all latitudes in this range and, specifically, that the SEGS performance at 25[degrees]N as similarly affected. Volcanic perturbations as large as Mount Pinatubo may produce weather changes that could further impact energy production. Good evidence is presented that weather affected one of the two sites investigated. Based on the close correlation between El Chichon and Mount Pinatubo, we predict the Mount Pinatubo aerosol layer decay pattern over the next year and a half.

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-90ER61072
• OSTI ID: 5173937
• Journal Information: Solar Energy (Journal of Solar Energy Science and Engineering); (United States), Journal Name: Solar Energy (Journal of Solar Energy Science and Engineering); (United States) Vol. 52:2; ISSN 0038-092X; ISSN SRENA4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140100* -- Solar Energy-- Resources & Availability
AEROSOLS
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
GASES
INSOLATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
POWER PLANTS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLS
STELLAR RADIATION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
VARIATIONS
VOLCANIC GASES
VOLCANOES