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A multi-scale solar receiver with peak receiver efficiency over 90% at 720 °C for the next-generation solar power tower

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  • Wang, Wen-Qi
  • He, Ya-Ling
  • Jiang, Rui

Abstract

To reduce the receiver's energy loss at high temperatures for the next-generation concentrating solar power plant, a novel multi-scale receiver is proposed by combing fin-like structures in the macroscale and light-trapping coatings in the nanoscale. The fin-like structure can reabsorb the reflected solar energy while the light-trapping nanostructured coating can increase solar absorption and reduce infrared emissivity. A multi-scale numerical model is developed to evaluate the receiver's optical and thermal performance. It is found that the multi-scale solar receiver can achieve a receiver efficiency of 0.904 at the solar time of 12:00 on spring equinox. However, it is also found that the maximum film temperature of the leading-edge tube will exceed 800 °C, which may decompose the current nitrate salt. To solve this problem, a white coating is used for leading-edge tubes to reduce the temperature by decreasing the maximum heat flux. The results show that this method can effectively regulate the overheating of the leading-edge tube. The maximum film temperature was successfully reduced to less than 800 °C at nearly no expenses of the absorbed solar energy. The study provides a new sight to achieve a receiver efficiency of more than 0.9 for the next generation concentrating solar power plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Wen-Qi & He, Ya-Ling & Jiang, Rui, 2022. "A multi-scale solar receiver with peak receiver efficiency over 90% at 720 °C for the next-generation solar power tower," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 714-723.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:200:y:2022:i:c:p:714-723
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.09.122
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wang, Wen-Qi & Li, Ming-Jia & Jiang, Rui & Hu, Yi-Huang & He, Ya-Ling, 2022. "Receiver with light-trapping nanostructured coating: A possible way to achieve high-efficiency solar thermal conversion for the next-generation concentrating solar power," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 159-171.
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