https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/31530 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:08:57 GMT 2026-02-13T17:08:57Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51835 Título: Numerical simulation of a solar wood dryer Autor: Corzo, Santiago; Villemur, Juan; Pienika, Rodolfo; Galione, Pedro Resumen: This article addresses a comprehensive analysis of the fluid dynamics in an Oxford-type solar kiln for wood drying. The work focused on a solar dryer located in Tacuarembó (Uruguay) and the approach is both experimental and numerical. A detailed analysis of the internal fluid dynamics in this type of kiln is essential to improve drying efficiency and avoid heterogeneous drying, which can lead to defects such as wood warping and reduced mechanical properties. It is well known and widely analyzed in the literature that ensuring homogeneous flow in the wood castle is crucial to avoid these problems. To address these challenges, an experimental analysis was performed to characterize the flow behavior inside the kiln. Additionally, numerical simulations were performed with OpenFOAM, incorporating a fan model based on data provided by the manufacturer. A rigorous mesh convergence study validated the numerical results with experimental measurements. The simulations revealed key flow characteristics, including stagnation zones, recirculation areas, flow diversion around the stack, and flow heterogeneity within the stack. Potential modifications to the furnace design are proposed to improve flow uniformity and minimize air diversion, leading to improved dryer performance. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51835 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51271 Título: Combining physical models to estimate PV power: evaluation and optimal modeling in the solar resource-rich semi-arid Brazilian region Autor: Furtado de Medeiros, Joao V.; Torres, Emerson; Alonso-Suárez, Rodrigo; Vilela, Olga Castro Resumen: Accurate estimation of energy production in photovoltaic power plants is crucial for project feasibility assessment and O&M practices. This study evaluates and analyzes the impact of combining different physical models for PV power modeling, varying different techniques for global horizontal irradiance (GHI) separation, irradiance transposition, and optical, thermal and electrical modeling. High-resolution data collected at 1-min intervals from a 2.5 MWp PV plant located in the Brazilian semi-arid region are used. The PV generation is examined and modeled based on ground-measured GHI, considering a total of 11,340 possible combinations, through seven separation models, nine transposition models, four optical models, nine thermal models, and five electrical models. It is observed that the selection of physical models significantly impacts the estimation, when adopting inaccurate physical models relative differences of 49 % in nMAE and 26 % in nRMSE were evidenced. The models which achieved the best results among the top performers were Starke2 separation model, Perez's transposition model, Martin-Ruiz's optical model, Sandia or Mattei's thermal model and De Soto's electrical model. Additionally, selecting adequate models based on the literature proved to be a good choice for modeling, almost achieving the optimal performance of the best combinations. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51271 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51171 Título: Experimental characterization of the diffuse incident angle modifier of solar thermal collectors: improving consistency between test methods. Autor: Rodríguez-Muñoz, Juan M.; Bove, Italo; Alonso-Suárez, Rodrigo Resumen: Diffuse solar irradiance is essential for modeling solar energy conversion devices, especially solar thermal collectors. The globally accepted ISO 9806:2017 standard defines a thermodynamic model and two test methods to determine its parameters, the steady-state test (SST) and the quasi-dynamic test (QDT). Although both methods are generally considered equivalent, discrepancies between the values of the diffuse incident angle modifier (IAM) have been reported, representing an area for improvement. This study advances the experimental characterization of diffuse IAM, specifically improving the compatibility between SST and QDT methods. Using the ISO 9806:2017 model as a baseline, two alternative diffuse IAM models are introduced and experimentally evaluated with data from a flat plate collector and an evacuated tube collector, covering different technologies. Model 1 extends the SST diffuse IAM model to QDT and treats diffuse irradiance in a global manner, while Model 2 treats diffuse irradiance from sky and ground separately, requiring an additional solar measurement. The evaluation shows that both proposed models improve the consistency between test methods. As the performance differences between these two new models are minimal, Model 1 is the recommended option as its implementation is simpler. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51171 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51155 Título: Evaluation of satellite and reanalysis models for solar irradiance estimation in Northwest Argentina. Autor: Ledesma, Rubén; Alonso-Suárez, Rodrigo; Salazar, Germán; Nollas, Fernando; Castro Vilela, Olga Resumen: Accurate solar resource assessment is critical for the development of solar energy projects, especially in regions with complex climatic and geographic conditions. This study evaluates the performance of various satellite-based and reanalysis models in estimating global horizontal irradiance (GHI) in Northwestern Argentina, focusing on two locations characterized by different environmental conditions: La Quiaca and Salta. Five satellitebased models (CAMS Heliosat-4, NREL NSRDB, GOES DSR, LSA-SAF MDSSFTD, and GOES G-CIM) and two reanalysis datasets (MERRA-2 and ERA-5) were analysed and compared with high-quality ground-based measurements recorded between 2020 and 2023. The results show that the G-CIM and NSRDB models provide the most accurate irradiance estimates, effectively minimising errors even in challenging environments with extreme altitude or variable terrain reflectivity. At the 10-minute time scale in Salta, the G-CIM model yields a root mean squared deviation (RMSD) of 23.4% and a mean bias of 4.8%, whereas the NSRDB model records an RMSD of 26.6% and a mean bias of –4.2%. In La Quiaca, both models achieve RMSD values below 20% and mean biases under 1%. At the 60-minute scale, in Salta, G-CIM and NSRDB exhibit RMSDs of 20.7% and 19.7%, with corresponding mean biases of 5.4% and –3.6%, respectively, while in La Quiaca they maintain mean biases below 1% and RMSDs of 13.2% for G-CIM and 12.6% for NSRDB. Conversely, the MERRA-2 and ERA-5 reanalysis models showed higher uncertainties, particularly in areas with significant microclimatic variations. The study highlights the importance of using locally validated satellite data for accurate solar resource assessment and emphasises the need for site-specific adjustments when applying global irradiance models. These findings contribute to improved planning and decision-making for solar energy projects in Northwest Argentina and provide valuable insights for researchers, policy makers and industry professionals. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/51155 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z