SolNet 2006-2010

General description
SOLNET was the first coordinated international PhD education program on Solar Thermal Engineering:
European expert knowledge and experience in the education field was brought together.
Biannual courses were offered to the network students and other PhD students working in the field.
10 PhD projects were started in 2006 and 2007 in the field of solar thermal energy; each PhD scholarship had a duration of 3 years
PhD students already active in this field were involved in the SOLNET research and training activities as well.
Course material developed weremade generally accessible.
 
The SOLNET consortium consists of nine university research groups from seven different European countries and involves six commercial enterprises as secondment hosts.

 

The research is carried out in the fields of civil, mechanical, and environmental engineering, as well as architecture. In the framework of the EST project ten coordinated PhD-projects are carried out.

The common scope of the network research activities is to lay the foundations for a new generation of cost-efficient solar heating systems and of combined solar heating and cooling systems.

Course topics and PhD topics were chosen to cover all the relevant fields:

The courses covered system components, innovative materials, system evaluations and optimisation strategies, the overall energy situation in Europe, societal issues and they convey complementary skills. The overall research training project was monitored during project meetings having taken place in the framework of the bi-annual course modules, with student presentations, forums, and project discussions. In annual plenary network meetings, supervisors as well as PhD students and external experts evaluated results of the ongoing research and the network activities.

The SOLNET consortium organized seven PhD courses during the four-year period of the EST project. The courses had more or less the same structure, but dealt with different aspects:

• solar energy components
• materials
• systems and
• applications 

The training program was supplemented by accompanying courses held at the EuroSun Conferences, computer courses, and non-technical complementary training. PhD students from outside the SOLNET project were encouraged to participate in the seven PhD courses in order to increase networking potential and to open up for new collaborative possibilities. The course modules are listed below. Each had a main topic and a secondary topic giving the students complementary knowledge and skills.

Course M1

Location: SERC, Sweden
Date: 22.-31.01 2007
Main Topic: Dynamic System simulations using TRNSYS and other simulation programs: Development of network program & joint subsystems
A. Topic: Social-anthropological aspects

Course M2

Location: TU Graz, Austria
Date: 26.-.03.04.2007
Main Topic: System integration of solar thermal plants: Components, guidelines, characterization, analysis of applications, hydraulics, control systems, dimensioning and optimisation, design exercise and an excursion to built examples

Course M3

Location: DTU, Denmark
Date: 10.-17.10.2007
Main Topic: Thermal stratification in solar heat storage tanks: Importance, establishment, maintenance, modelling, experimental investigation

Course M4

Location: HfT/POLIMI, Italy
Date: 05.-11.03.2008
Main Topic: Solar cooling: Cooling load calculations, impact on system design, on thermodynamics and planning issues of open sorption, absorption and adsorption cooling systems
A. Topic: International Standards (SWT-Stuttgart)

Course M5

Location: Uni-Lleida, Spain
Date: 29.09.-04.10.2008
Main Topic: Design and simulation of PCM (phase change material) applications to low energy-buildings: Material properties, heat transfer analysis, micro- and macro encapsulation of PCMs, passive and active applications, TRNSYS modelling
A. Topic: Differential Scanning Calorimetry (experimental method)

Course M6

Location: CTU/Uni-Lund, Czech Republic
Date: 04.-09.02.2009
Main Topic: Advanced solar collectors: Flat plate & concentrating, liquid & air collectors, optical properties, selective coatings, non-tracking systems, dynamic characterization, integration into the building envelope, hybrid solar air-water and PV-thermal collectors, solar walls, numerical models
A. Topic: Climate policies, Project management

Course M7

Location: Uni Kassel, Germany
Date: 10.2009
Main Topic: Renewable energy and energy efficiency: Technologies, energy economics, global environmental situation, resources, energy transformation, rational energy utilization, and electrification in rural areas
A. Topic: Energy economics

Find here the PhD Projects

The biannual courses were open for all PhD students in the field. They included a lecture phase of about one week. The courses generally contained the following parts:

• Student work at home university (including preparation of presentations and reports)
• Joint work on the overall network project, student presentations about their current studies
• Lectures and training modules about main course topic
• Lectures and training modules about a topic aiming at so-called complementary skills
• Excursions to companies and renewable energy sites.