PROCESOL II – Solar thermal process heating coupled with heat recovery technologies in industrial applications

The targeted production companies are the ones, which need process heat at a temperature level of 40°C to 90°C. These temperatures can be achieved with good efficiencies using common solar thermal collectors like flat plate collectors or evacuated tube collectors.

One of the most important lessons learnt from previous project dealing with solar thermal process heat was the lack of useful design and maintenance guidelines. The experience of solar thermal plants in operation at production sites (mainly Greece, Portugal and Spain) have confirmed this fact.

Thus the elaboration of easy applicable design and maintenance guidelines for the installation and operation of solar thermal process heat plants is one of the main tasks of the project. The guidelines shall be a tool for designers and technicians to build high quality systems that are efficient and reliable, what is a major factor for the adoption of these systems in the producing industry.

The aim shall be reached by the accomplishment of the following phases of the project:

• elaboration of design guidelines for solar thermal plants combined with heat recovery measures for different industry branches
• issuing of a brochure with design and maintenance guidelines
• evaluation of the design guidelines by monitoring an existing installation
• presentation of the results of the project to the target groups at a business workshop

The long term aim of the project is to increase the number of solar thermal process heat plants in combination with possible heat recovery measures by using all experience and knowledge gained within the project.