Design of solar chimney power plant for Mediterranean countries

The solar chimney, also known as solar updraft tower, is a proposed type of renewable-energy power plant that combines a solar air collector and a central high tube to generate a solar induced convective flow which drives turbines, generating thus electricity. In this paper, it is first described the functional principle of the solar chimney. Some results of the thermodynamic analysis performed are given, including a model for solar collector. The study also considers the performance of a particular reference plant equipped with a floating chimney, with specified climate conditions in Sicily, Italy. A basic economic analysis is finally performed.