Prodyut Chakraborty, V. Narayanan, Hardikkumar B. Kothodia, and Shobhana Singh
Research SnippetClay-based catalytic converter.
Solar thermal systems have always held a cornerstone position in renewable energy applications and the share in market potential. The photovoltaic (PV) route to tap solar energy is fraught with heavy metal pollution which impacts the solar panel life and efficiency for process heating/cooling applications. Solar thermal technologies, on the contrary, are environment friendly and efficient for a wide range of applications. In order to overcome the barriers in the commercialization of solar energy based technologies, IIT Jodhpur focuses on cutting-edge research on solar thermal systems. The research encompasses not only improving the efficiency of solar thermal systems, both standalone and integrated, but also to train engineers in this field for future advancements.
An interdisciplinary team of faculty members and research scholars are working on variety of solar thermal systems and technologies including Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems - the parabolic dish concentrator, solar PV panels, central receiver, thermal energy storage, solar dryer, solar cooker to name a few.
Some of the key projects that are on-going at IIT Jodhpur in the field of solar thermal are:
Energy Efficient and Economic Solar Dryer (E3 Dryer)
Scheffler-Dish based Anytime Solar Cooker (SASC) for Small Scale Indoor Community Cooking Capable of Cooking after Sunset
A novel receiver design of central solar heliostat-based tower systems
Estimation and Optimization of heliostat field using ray tracing approach
Testing of Absorptivity and Emissivity of the Solar Thermal Paints and Coatings
Superhydrophobic Self-cleaning for Solar Panel Applications
