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Improving the performance of volumetric solar receivers with a spectrally selective gradual structure and swirling characteristics

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  • Zhu, Qibin
  • Xuan, Yimin

Abstract

The radiation loss at the front region of the volumetric solar receiver limits the solar to thermal efficiency of the receiver. With respect to the purpose of moving the highest temperature front of the receiver from the entrance to the inner position of the solar receiver, a spectrally selective gradual structure receiver with swirling characteristics is designed. A three-layer structure along the receiver depth, namely a radiation-transmitting layer, a radiation-absorbing layer, and a pressure-regulating layer, is designed to increase the radiation depth and suppress the pressure drop. The heat transfer and flow properties of the receiver are investigated, and a design rule of the gradual structure is summarized. The volumetric effect is achieved by using the gradual structure receiver. Such novel volumetric solar receiver with gradual structures achieves the volumetric effect, boosting the solar to thermal efficiency to 87%. Although parameters of each layer can be discretionarily selected based on the optical depth, higher porosity of the gradual structures allows for higher efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Qibin & Xuan, Yimin, 2019. "Improving the performance of volumetric solar receivers with a spectrally selective gradual structure and swirling characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 467-476.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:172:y:2019:i:c:p:467-476
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.01.166
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Xianglei & Cheng, Bo & Zhu, Qibin & Gao, Ke & Sun, Nan & Tian, Cheng & Wang, Jiaqi & Zheng, Hangbin & Wang, Xinrui & Dang, Chunzhuo & Xuan, Yimin, 2022. "Highly efficient solar-driven CO2 reforming of methane via concave foam reactors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    2. Guilong Dai & Jiangfei Huangfu & Xiaoyu Wang & Shenghua Du & Tian Zhao, 2023. "A Review of Radiative Heat Transfer in Fixed-Bed Particle Solar Receivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-37, June.
    3. Xuewei Ni & Tiening Liu & Dong Liu, 2022. "Effects of Volumetric Property Models on the Efficiency of a Porous Volumetric Solar Receiver," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-12, May.
    4. Chen, Xue & Lyu, Jinxin & Sun, Chuang & Xia, Xinlin & Wang, Fuqiang, 2023. "Pore-scale evaluation on a volumetric solar receiver with different optical property control strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PB).
    5. Barreto, Germilly & Canhoto, Paulo & Collares-Pereira, Manuel, 2020. "Parametric analysis and optimisation of porous volumetric solar receivers made of open-cell SiC ceramic foam," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    6. Avila-Marin, Antonio L., 2022. "CFD parametric analysis of wire meshes open volumetric receivers with axial-varied porosity and comparison with small-scale solar receiver tests," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 1094-1105.
    7. Du, Shen & Li, Ming-Jia & He, Ya-Ling & Shen, Sheng, 2021. "Conceptual design of porous volumetric solar receiver using molten salt as heat transfer fluid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    8. Yao, Haichen & Liu, Xianglei & Luo, Qingyang & Xu, Qiao & Tian, Yang & Ren, Tianze & Zheng, Hangbin & Gao, Ke & Dang, Chunzhuo & Xuan, Yimin & Liu, Zhan & Yang, Xiaohu & Ding, Yulong, 2022. "Experimental and numerical investigations of solar charging performances of 3D porous skeleton based latent heat storage devices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    9. Godini, Ali & Kheradmand, Saeid, 2021. "Optimization of volumetric solar receiver geometry and porous media specifications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 574-581.

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