Optical and Thermal Analysis of a Pressurized-Air Receiver Cluster for a 50 MWe Solar Power Tower

The optical design and thermal performance of a solar power tower system using an array of high-temperature pressurized air-based solar receivers is analyzed for Brayton, recuperated, and combined Brayton–Rankine cycles. A 50 MWe power tower system comprising a cluster of 500 solar receiver modules, each attached to a hexagon-shaped secondary concentrator and arranged side-by-side in a honeycomb-type structure following a spherical fly-eye optical configuration, can yield a peak solar-to-electricity efficiency of 37%.

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High temperature oxidation and erosion of candidate materials for particle receivers of concentrated solar power tower systems

Solar Energy ◽

10.1016/j.solener.2019.06.057 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 188 ◽

pp. 883-889 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T. Galiullin ◽

B. Gobereit ◽

D. Naumenko ◽

R. Buck ◽

L. Amsbeck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

High Temperature Oxidation ◽

Solar Power ◽

Concentrated Solar Power ◽

Temperature Oxidation ◽

Solar Power Tower

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High‐Temperature Phase Change Material (PCM) Selection for Concentrating Solar Power Tower Applications

Advanced Sustainable Systems ◽

10.1002/adsu.201800131 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 1800131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Teng‐Cheong Ong ◽

Elizabeth Graham ◽

Geoffrey Will ◽

Theodore A. Steinberg

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Phase Change ◽

Phase Change Material ◽

Solar Power ◽

High Temperature Phase ◽

Temperature Phase ◽

Concentrating Solar Power ◽

Selection For ◽

Solar Power Tower ◽

Change Material

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Innovative Volumetric Solar Receiver Micro-Design Based on Numerical Predictions

Volume 8B: Heat Transfer and Thermal Engineering ◽

10.1115/imece2015-50597 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Raffaele Capuano ◽

Thomas Fend ◽

Bernhard Hoffschmidt ◽

Robert Pitz-Paal

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Large Scale ◽

Solar Power ◽

Numerical Models ◽

Numerical Predictions ◽

Proper Design ◽

Global Increase ◽

Solar Power Tower ◽

Solar Receiver

Due to the continuous global increase in energy demand, Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) represents an excellent alternative, or add-on to existing systems for the production of energy on a large scale. In some of these systems, the Solar Power Tower plants (SPT), the conversion of solar radiation into heat occurs in certain components defined as solar receivers, placed in correspondence of the focus of the reflected sunlight. In a particular type of solar receivers, defined as volumetric, the use of porous materials is foreseen. These receivers are characterized by a porous structure called absorber. The latter, hit by the reflected solar radiation, transfers the heat to the evolving fluid, generally air subject to natural convection. The proper design of these elements is essential in order to achieve high efficiencies, making such structures extremely beneficial for the overall performances of the energy production process. In the following study, a parametric analysis and an optimized characterization of the structure have been performed with the use of self-developed numerical models. The knowledge and results gained through this study have been used to define an optimization path in order to improve the absorber microstructure, starting from the current in-house state-of-the-art technology until obtaining a new advanced geometry.

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