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Optimized volumetric solar receiver: Thermal performance prediction and experimental validation

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  • Capuano, Raffaele
  • Fend, Thomas
  • Stadler, Hannes
  • Hoffschmidt, Bernhard
  • Pitz-Paal, Robert

Abstract

In the last decade, different absorber geometries, such as foams and honeycombs, have been tested at laboratory or industrial scale in order to achieve high performance in the conversion of the solar radiation into usable heat, with the current state-of-the-art, the HiTRec-II monolithic honeycomb, characterized by a square-channel section and made out of siliconized silicon carbide (SiSiC). Such geometry has been so far the best compromise for large-scale application thanks to the low production costs, easy manufacturability through extrusion procedure and overall acceptable performance. However, it does present some drawbacks, since the geometry is not able to contain the radiative heat losses, especially from the front surface. An optimized absorber geometry, capable to reduce overall thermal losses, is presented in this work, being able to increase the final thermal efficiency of more than 12% compared to the current state-of-the-art and showing the presence of the so-called volumetric effect, since the outlet fluid temperature is higher than the solid inlet temperature. A test sample has been produced for laboratory-scale experiments, in the form of a 3:1 scaled prototype through additive manufacturing procedure, using a titanium-aluminium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and the experimental results were in good agreement with the numerical calculation, with a deviation of 3%, computed considering a 3:1 Ti6Al4V scaled-up sample. As the manufacturing technology will progress and become cheaper in the near future, it will be possible to improve the overall Solar Power Tower (SPT) plants performance using advanced micro-geometry for open volumetric receivers.

Suggested Citation

  • Capuano, Raffaele & Fend, Thomas & Stadler, Hannes & Hoffschmidt, Bernhard & Pitz-Paal, Robert, 2017. "Optimized volumetric solar receiver: Thermal performance prediction and experimental validation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(PB), pages 556-566.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:114:y:2017:i:pb:p:556-566
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.07.071
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fend, Th. & Schwarzbözl, P. & Smirnova, O. & Schöllgen, D. & Jakob, C., 2013. "Numerical investigation of flow and heat transfer in a volumetric solar receiver," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 655-661.
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    5. 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.
    6. Pratticò, Luca & Fronza, Nicola & Bartali, Ruben & Chiappini, Andrea & Sciubba, Enrico & González-Aguilar, J. & Crema, Luigi, 2021. "Radiation propagation in a hierarchical solar volumetric absorber: Results of single-photon avalanche diode measurements and Monte Carlo ray tracing analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 482-493.
    7. Godini, Ali & Kheradmand, Saeid, 2021. "Optimization of volumetric solar receiver geometry and porous media specifications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 574-581.
    8. Avila-Marin, Antonio L. & Fernandez-Reche, Jesus & Gianella, Sandro & Ferrari, Luca & Sanchez-Señoran, Daniel, 2022. "Experimental study of innovative periodic cellular structures as air volumetric absorbers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 391-404.
    9. Broeske, Robin Tim & Schwarzbözl, Peter & Birkigt, Lisa & Vasic, Srdan & Dung, Sebastian & Doerbeck, Till & Hoffschmidt, Bernhard, 2023. "Experimentally assessed efficiency improvement of innovative 3D-shaped structures as volumetric absorbers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    10. Navalho, Jorge E.P. & Pereira, José C.F., 2020. "A comprehensive and fully predictive discrete methodology for volumetric solar receivers: application to a functional parabolic dish solar collector system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    11. Sedighi, Mohammadreza & Padilla, Ricardo Vasquez & Rose, Andrew & Taylor, Robert A., 2022. "Optical analysis of a semi-transparent packed bed of spheres for next-generation volumetric solar receivers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    12. Cheilytko, Andrii & Schwarzbözl, Peter & Wieghardt, Kai, 2023. "Modeling of heat conduction processes in porous absorber of open type of solar tower stations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    13. 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).
    14. Avila-Marin, Antonio L. & Alvarez de Lara, Monica & Fernandez-Reche, Jesus, 2018. "Experimental results of gradual porosity volumetric air receivers with wire meshes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 339-353.
    15. Avila-Marin, Antonio L. & Caliot, Cyril & Alvarez de Lara, Monica & Fernandez-Reche, Jesus & Montes, Maria Jose & Martinez-Tarifa, Adela, 2019. "Homogeneous equivalent model coupled with P1-approximation for dense wire meshes volumetric air receivers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 908-919.
    16. Avila-Marin, A.L. & Fernandez-Reche, J. & Martinez-Tarifa, A., 2019. "Modelling strategies for porous structures as solar receivers in central receiver systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 15-33.
    17. Vishwa Deepak Kumar & Vikas K. Upadhyay & Gurveer Singh & Sudipto Mukhopadhyay & Laltu Chandra, 2022. "Open volumetric air receiver: An innovative application and a major challenge," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(1), January.

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