DESIGN AND EXPERIMENTAL TESTING OF A CARBON FEEDER FOR A SOLAR THERMAL RECEIVER

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lohengrin Van Belle ◽  
Sven Van Rompay ◽  
M. Helal Uddin ◽  
Nesrin Ozalp ◽  
Jozef Vleugels
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Thermal Receiver

Life Estimation of Pressurized-Air Solar-Thermal Receiver Tubes

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Fork ◽  
John Fitch ◽  
Shawn Ziaei ◽  
Robert I. Jetter
Keyword(s):  
Large Body ◽  
Inelastic Strain ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Inlet Temperature ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Thermal Receiver ◽  
Cyclic Operation ◽  
Strain Model

The operational conditions of the solar-thermal receiver for a Brayton cycle engine are challenging, and lack a large body of operational data unlike steam plants. We explore the receiver's fundamental element, a pressurized tube in time varying solar flux for a series of 30 yr service missions based on hypothetical power plant designs. We developed and compared two estimation methods to predict the receiver tube lifetime based on available creep life and fatigue data for alloy 617. We show that the choice of inelastic strain model and the level of conservatism applied through design rules will vary the lifetime predictions by orders of magnitude. Based on current data and methods, a turbine inlet temperature of 1120 K is a necessary 30-yr-life-design condition for our receiver. We also showed that even though the time at operating temperature is about three times longer for fossil fuel powered (steady) operation, the damage is always lower than cyclic operation using solar power.

Numerical analysis of a hybrid tubular and cavity air receiver for solar thermal applications

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayuj Sasidharan ◽  
Pradip Dutta
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Natural Convection ◽  
Numerical Analysis ◽  
Heat Loss ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Heat Transfer Analysis ◽  
Receiver Design ◽  
Radiation Emission ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Thermal Receiver

Purpose This paper aims to deal with characterisation of the thermal performance of a hybrid tubular and cavity solar thermal receiver. Design/methodology/approach The coupled optical-flow-thermal analysis is carried out on the proposed receiver design. Modelling is performed in two and three dimensions for estimating heat loss by natural convection for an upward-facing cavity. Heat loss obtained in two dimensions by solving coupled continuity, momentum and energy equation inside the cavity domain is compared with the loss obtained using an established Nusselt number correlation for realistic receiver performance prediction. Findings It is found that radiation emission from a heated cavity wall to the ambient is the dominant mode of heat loss from the receiver. The findings recommend that fluid flow path must be designed adjacent to the surface exposed to irradiation of concentrated flux to limit conduction heat loss. Research limitations/implications On-sun experimental tests need to be performed to validate the numerical study. Practical implications Numerical analysis of receivers provides guidelines for effective and efficient solar thermal receiver design. Social implications Pressurised air receivers designed from this method can be integrated with Brayton cycles using air or supercritical carbon-dioxide to run a turbine generating electricity using a solar heat source. Originality/value The present paper proposes a novel method for coupling the flux map from ray-tracing analysis and using it as a heat flux boundary condition for performing coupled flow and heat transfer analysis. This is achieved using affine transformation implemented using extrusion coupling tool from COMSOL Multiphysics software package. Cavity surface natural convection heat transfer coefficient is obtained locally based on the surface temperature distribution.

Development and Modification of a Cassegrainian Solar Concentrator for Utilization of Solar Thermal Power

Solar Energy ◽  
2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Stoynov ◽  
Prasad K. D. V. Yarlagadda
Keyword(s):  
Solar Energy ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Concentrator ◽  
Beam Focusing ◽  
Solar Thermal Power ◽  
Beam Transmission ◽  
Solar Energy Concentrator ◽  
Almost All

Almost all life on Earth has been using solar energy in many ways, but when high temperatures are desired, concentration of the incident solar radiation (insolation) becomes necessary. The present work is an attempt to improve and experimentally compare alternative beam delivering and focusing energy systems of a small solar concentrator. The researched solar energy concentrator (SEC) facility consists of modified two mirror Cassegrainian solar concentrator, two-speed sun-tracking manual and automatic control, concentrated insolation transmitting and continuous beam focusing systems. A number of system modifications during the development of the two stage, point focusing type solar concentrator arrangement for solar thermal power utilization have also been explored and are reported in this paper. Some of the experimental testing results obtained using single polymer fiber 14 mm in diameter, a truncated conical concentrator, and auxiliary lens system alternatives, have been compared. In addition, some details about various improvements of the sun-tracking sensor and automatics, beam transmission and continuous focusing capabilities of the SEC facility have been described.

High Flux Microscale Solar Thermal Receiver for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Cycles

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas L’Estrange ◽  
Eric Truong ◽  
Charles Rymal ◽  
Erfan Rasouli ◽  
Vinod Narayanan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Heat Flux ◽  
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Thermal Efficiency ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Fluid Temperature ◽  
Thermal Receiver ◽  
Supercritical Carbon

Characterization of a microchannel solar thermal receiver for a supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) is presented. The receiver design is based on conjugate computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer simulations as well as thermo-mechanical stress analysis. Two receivers are fabricated and experimentally characterized — a parallel microchannel design and a microscale pin fin array design. Lab-scale experiments have been used to demonstrate the receiver integrity at the design pressure of 125 bar at 750°C surface temperature. A concentrated solar simulator was designed and assembled to characterize the thermal performance of the lab scale receiver test articles. Results indicate that, for a fixed exit fluid temperature of 650°C, increase in incident heat flux results in an increase in receiver and thermal efficiency. At a fixed heat flux, efficiency decreased with an increase in receiver surface temperature. The ability to absorb flux of up to 100 W/cm2 at thermal efficiency in excess of 90 percent and exit fluid temperature of 650°C using the microchannel receiver is demonstrated. Pressure drop for the pin array at the maximum flow rate for heat transfer experiments is less than 0.64 percent of line pressure.

Photothermal Characteristics of Novel Flexible Black Silicon for Solar Thermal Receiver

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (10-11) ◽  
pp. 2179-2184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Wei ◽  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Ning Wang ◽  
Hao Mei ◽  
Stuart Yin
Keyword(s):  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Black Silicon ◽  
Thermal Receiver
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