IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v201y2022ip1p291-304.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Studies on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of supercritical CO2 flows with non-uniform heat flux in a tubular solar receiver

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Xiaokai
  • Guo, Jiangfeng
  • Han, Zengxiao
  • Cheng, Keyong
  • Huai, Xiulan

Abstract

Supercritical CO2 (SCO2) Brayton cycle is one of the best approaches for concentrated solar power tower, with tubular solar receiver being one of the most attractive options to directly heat SCO2. The superposition of drastically variable properties of SCO2 and uneven distribution of solar irradiance flux poses a great challenge to the design and optimisation of solar receiver, thus the studies on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of SCO2 in solar receiver become crucial to deal with the challenge. In this study, the thermal-hydraulic characteristics of SCO2 in a vertical receiver tube under axially and circumferentially non-uniform heat-flux conditions are numerically studied with average heat flux ranging from 150 kW m−2 to 210 kW m−2 and mass flux ranging from 400 kg m−2 s−1 to 700 kg m−2 s−1, and the influences of buoyancy on the flow and heat transfer characteristics are evaluated. The non-uniform distribution of the axial heat flux leads to 1.2%–20.5% increase in the overall heat transfer coefficient, while more severe local heat transfer deterioration is observed. The buoyancy effect changes the flow structure, resulting in suppression of turbulence intensity and formation of thick momentum and thermal boundary layers, which is closely related to the severe heat transfer deterioration of SCO2 under non-uniform heat-flux conditions. Bo* could well predict the buoyancy effect in a vertical tube under non-uniform heat-flux conditions. Compared with upward flow, downward flow could effectively alleviate heat transfer deterioration and reduce wall temperature gradient especially for axially non-uniform heat-flux condition. The present work could provide guideline for the design and optimisation of tubular solar receiver and solar power system with SCO2 as heat transfer fluid.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Xiaokai & Guo, Jiangfeng & Han, Zengxiao & Cheng, Keyong & Huai, Xiulan, 2022. "Studies on thermal-hydraulic characteristics of supercritical CO2 flows with non-uniform heat flux in a tubular solar receiver," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P1), pages 291-304.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:201:y:2022:i:p1:p:291-304
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.10.112
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148122016147
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2022.10.112?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zheng, Zhang-Jing & Li, Ming-Jia & He, Ya-Ling, 2017. "Thermal analysis of solar central receiver tube with porous inserts and non-uniform heat flux," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1152-1161.
    2. He, Caitou & Zhao, Yuhong & Feng, Jieqing, 2019. "An improved flux density distribution model for a flat heliostat (iHFLCAL) compared with HFLCAL," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    3. Lei, Xianliang & Zhang, Jun & Gou, Lingtong & Zhang, Qian & Li, Huixiong, 2019. "Experimental study on convection heat transfer of supercritical CO2 in small upward channels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 119-130.
    4. Ehsan, M. Monjurul & Guan, Zhiqiang & Klimenko, A.Y., 2018. "A comprehensive review on heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics and correlations with supercritical CO2 under heating and cooling applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 658-675.
    5. Crespi, Francesco & Gavagnin, Giacomo & Sánchez, David & Martínez, Gonzalo S., 2017. "Supercritical carbon dioxide cycles for power generation: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 152-183.
    6. Fan, Y.H. & Tang, G.H. & Li, X.L. & Yang, D.L. & Wang, S.Q., 2019. "Correlation evaluation on circumferentially average heat transfer for supercritical carbon dioxide in non-uniform heating vertical tubes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 480-496.
    7. Xu, Jinliang & Sun, Enhui & Li, Mingjia & Liu, Huan & Zhu, Bingguo, 2018. "Key issues and solution strategies for supercritical carbon dioxide coal fired power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 227-246.
    8. Guo, Jiangfeng & Xiang, Mengru & Zhang, Haiyan & Huai, Xiulan & Cheng, Keyong & Cui, Xinying, 2019. "Thermal-hydraulic characteristics of supercritical pressure CO2 in vertical tubes under cooling and heating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 1067-1081.
    9. Luu, Minh Tri & Milani, Dia & McNaughton, Robbie & Abbas, Ali, 2017. "Dynamic modelling and start-up operation of a solar-assisted recompression supercritical CO2 Brayton power cycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 247-263.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wang, Shengpeng & Zhang, Yifan & Li, Hongzhi & Yao, Mingyu & Peng, Botao & Yan, Junjie, 2020. "Thermohydrodynamic analysis of the vertical gas wall and reheat gas wall in a 300 MW supercritical CO2 boiler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    2. Ehsan, M. Monjurul & Guan, Zhiqiang & Gurgenci, Hal & Klimenko, Alexander, 2020. "Feasibility of dry cooling in supercritical CO2 power cycle in concentrated solar power application: Review and a case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    3. Fan, Y.H. & Tang, G.H. & Sheng, Q. & Li, X.L. & Yang, D.L., 2023. "S–CO2 cooling heat transfer mechanism based on pseudo-condensation and turbulent field analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PA).
    4. Zhang, Shijie & Xu, Xiaoxiao & Liu, Chao & Dang, Chaobin, 2020. "A review on application and heat transfer enhancement of supercritical CO2 in low-grade heat conversion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    5. Ehsan, M. Monjurul & Duniam, Sam & Li, Jishun & Guan, Zhiqiang & Gurgenci, Hal & Klimenko, Alexander, 2019. "Effect of cooling system design on the performance of the recompression CO2 cycle for concentrated solar power application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 480-494.
    6. Li, X.L. & Li, G.X. & Tang, G.H. & Fan, Y.H. & Yang, D.L., 2023. "A generalized thermal deviation factor to evaluate the comprehensive stress of tubes under non-uniform heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    7. Li, Hongzhi & Zhang, Yifan & Yao, Mingyu & Yang, Yu & Han, Wanlong & Bai, Wengang, 2019. "Design assessment of a 5 MW fossil-fired supercritical CO2 power cycle pilot loop," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 792-804.
    8. Xiao, Tingyu & Liu, Chao & Wang, Xurong & Wang, Shukun & Xu, Xiaoxiao & Li, Qibin & Li, Xiaoxiao, 2022. "Life cycle assessment of the solar thermal power plant integrated with air-cooled supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 119-133.
    9. Cui, Xinying & Guo, Jiangfeng & Huai, Xiulan & Zhang, Haiyan & Cheng, Keyong & Zhou, Jingzhi, 2019. "Numerical investigations on serpentine channel for supercritical CO2 recuperator," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 517-530.
    10. Battisti, F.G. & de Araujo Passos, L.A. & da Silva, A.K., 2022. "Economic and environmental assessment of a CO2 solar-powered plant with packed-bed thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    11. Li, Zhaozhi & Shao, Yingjuan & Zhong, Wenqi & Liu, Hao, 2023. "Optimal design and thermodynamic evaluation of supercritical CO2 oxy-coal circulating fluidized bed power generation systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    12. Yang, Jingze & Yang, Zhen & Duan, Yuanyuan, 2022. "A review on integrated design and off-design operation of solar power tower system with S–CO2 Brayton cycle," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    13. Yu, Aofang & Xing, Lingli & Su, Wen & Liu, Pei, 2023. "State-of-the-art review on the CO2 combined power and cooling system: System configuration, modeling and performance," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    14. Kunniyoor, Vijayaraj & Singh, Punit & Nadella, Karthik, 2020. "Value of closed-cycle gas turbines with design assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    15. Gu, Mingyan & Wang, Mingming & Chen, Xue & Wang, Jimin & Lin, Yuyu & Chu, Huaqiang, 2019. "Numerical study on the effect of separated over-fire air ratio on combustion characteristics and NOx emission in a 1000 MW supercritical CO2 boiler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 593-603.
    16. Xu, Yong & Yi, Zhengming, 2023. "Effect of flow direction on heat transfer characteristics of supercritical CO2 in a heating serpentine micro-tube," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    17. Guo, Jia-Qi & Li, Ming-Jia & Xu, Jin-Liang & Yan, Jun-Jie & Wang, Kun, 2019. "Thermodynamic performance analysis of different supercritical Brayton cycles using CO2-based binary mixtures in the molten salt solar power tower systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 785-798.
    18. Haicai Lyu & Han Wang & Qincheng Bi & Fenglei Niu, 2022. "Experimental Investigation on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide in a Mini Vertical Upward Flow," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-14, August.
    19. Wang, Xurong & Li, Xiaoxiao & Li, Qibin & Liu, Lang & Liu, Chao, 2020. "Performance of a solar thermal power plant with direct air-cooled supercritical carbon dioxide Brayton cycle under off-design conditions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    20. Xu, Cheng & Zhang, Qiang & Yang, Zhiping & Li, Xiaosa & Xu, Gang & Yang, Yongping, 2018. "An improved supercritical coal-fired power generation system incorporating a supplementary supercritical CO2 cycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1319-1329.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:201:y:2022:i:p1:p:291-304. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.