Consider the following two approaches to generating electricity with solar energy: 2. 1. A solar pond is a large salty l

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Consider The Following Two Approaches To Generating Electricity With Solar Energy 2 1 A Solar Pond Is A Large Salty L 1 (176.47 KiB) Viewed 34 times

Consider the following two approaches to generating electricity with solar energy: 2. 1. A solar pond is a large salty lake which stores solar energy and can reach temperatures up to 90°C. The solar pond can be used as the high temperature reservoir for a heat engine. A solar tower uses arrays of mirrors (heliostats) to focus the sun's rays on a solar collector allowing a working fluid to reach temperatures of 550°C. This fluid can then serve as the high temperature reservoir for a heat engine. (4a) If both solar power plants described above are utilizing atmospheric air at 30°C as the low temperature reservoir. What is the maximum possible efficiency for each of the solar power plants? What does this tell you about the relationship between the temperature of the stored solar energy and the thermal efficiency? (4b) If a river at 15°C is used as the low temperature reservoir instead, how are the thermal efficiencies of the two solar power plants affected? (Note that this is a tradeoff with Thermal Pollution discussed in Homework 2)