A de-orbiting strategy for small satellites, in particular CubeSats, is proposed which exploits the effect of solar radiation pressure to increase the spacecraft orbit eccentricity so that the perigee falls below an altitude where atmospheric drag will cause the spacecraft orbit to naturally decay. This is achieved by fitting the spacecraft with an inflatable reflective balloon. Once this is fu...

The utility solar power plants were reviewed and classified by two basic groups: direct thermal concentrating solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV). CSP as Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) of 100 MW solar power plants (SPP) is suggested and suitable to provide solar thermal power for Qatar. Although, LFC had enough experience for small projects, it is still need to work in large scale plant s...

We present calculations of the auroral radio powers expected from exoplanets with magnetospheres driven by an Earth-like magnetospheric interaction with the solar wind. Specifically, we compute the twin cell-vortical ionospheric flows, currents, and resulting radio powers resulting from a Dungey cycle process driven by dayside and nightside magnetic reconnection, as a function of planetary orbi...

We present new services, developed also under the GMES ENDORSE (ENergy DOwnstream SErvices) project, for the performance analysis and the support in the planning of solar plants (photovoltaic, CSP, CPV) that combine a detailed model of each part of the plant (solar field, thermal storage system, electrical power system and inverters) and the near real-time remote sensing of the global (or direc...

This paper introduces a novel concept of mini-hybrid solar power plant integrating a field of solar concentrators, two superposed Organic Rankine -CyclesIORC) and a (bio)Diesel engine. Turbines for the Organic Rankine Cycles are hermetic scroll expandergenerators. Sun tracking solar collectors are composed of rows of flat mirroi bands (CEP) arranged in a plane, which focus the solar energy onto...

This paper presents an application of fuzzy logic control to the distributed collector field of a solar power plant. The major characteristic of a solar power plant is that the primary energy source, solar radiation, cannot be manipulated. Solar radiation varies throughout the day, causing changes in plant dynamics and strong perturbations in the process. A special subclass of fuzzy inference s...

A feedback linearisation control scheme is proposed an implemented on a real solar power plant. This structure is based on a non-linear control methodology combined with a recurrent neural predictor. Given model plant mismatches it is crucial to provide the control system with an off-set compensation, being an internal model controller strategy used for this purpose. Experimental results collec...

The paper examines design and operating data of current concentrated solar power (CSP) 11 solar tower (ST) plants. The study includes CSP with or without boost by combustion of natural gas 12 (NG), and with or without thermal energy storage (TES). The latest, actual specific costs per 13 installed capacity are very high, 6085 $/kW for Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) 14 with no ...