Salinity gradient solar ponds - Solar Energy Sciences and Engineering Applications - page 207

Figure 7.3.5 Manual sampling device (top) and automated sampling system (bottom).
calculate the average collective global horizontal solar radiation incident upon the top
surface of the pond. Now the ratio of these two quantities will provide the value of
the average thermal utilisation coefficient or thermal efficiency of the pond over the
period of measurement.
Solar ponds can be environment friendly and economical when constructed at a
suitable location and using local resources. For these situations solar ponds are lot
cheaper than any other large-scale solar thermal collectors. The main advantage of the
solar pond compared with other solar thermal collectors is that they have an integrated
thermal energy storage system. So the solar ponds can supply a substantial amount of
thermal energy on a continuous basis.
The costs of a solar pond vary widely according to location and application, so it
is essential to perform an economic analysis of the specific design, site and application