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Thermal analysis and design of a volumetric solar absorber depending on the porosity

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  • Roldán, M.I.
  • Smirnova, O.
  • Fend, T.
  • Casas, J.L.
  • Zarza, E.

Abstract

The thermal evaluation of different absorber configurations for a volumetric solar receiver designed for a solar furnace has been carried out by means of commercial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software in a 2D numerical model. Simulation results for proposed configurations depending on the porosity are discussed and compared to find the optimum configuration for which flow instabilities and thermal stresses are minimized and higher efficiencies are reached. The results obtained from the comparison of air velocity and thermal profiles at the absorber outlet propose a gradual-porosity configuration as an alternative to a previous design of a porous silicon-carbide honeycomb structure in order to heat an air stream up to temperatures suited for several high-temperature industrial processes.

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  • Roldán, M.I. & Smirnova, O. & Fend, T. & Casas, J.L. & Zarza, E., 2014. "Thermal analysis and design of a volumetric solar absorber depending on the porosity," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 116-128.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:62:y:2014:i:c:p:116-128
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2013.06.043
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    13. Wang, P. & Liu, D.Y. & Xu, C. & Xia, L. & Zhou, L., 2016. "A unified heat transfer model in a pressurized volumetric solar receivers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 663-672.
    14. Zaversky, Fritz & Aldaz, Leticia & Sánchez, Marcelino & Ávila-Marín, Antonio L. & Roldán, M. Isabel & Fernández-Reche, Jesús & Füssel, Alexander & Beckert, Wieland & Adler, Jörg, 2018. "Numerical and experimental evaluation and optimization of ceramic foam as solar absorber – Single-layer vs multi-layer configurations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 351-375.
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    17. Andrade, L.A. & Barrozo, M.A.S. & Vieira, L.G.M., 2016. "A study on dynamic heating in solar dish concentrators," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(P1), pages 501-508.
    18. Dehghan, Maziar & Rahmani, Yousef & Domiri Ganji, Davood & Saedodin, Seyfollah & Valipour, Mohammad Sadegh & Rashidi, Saman, 2015. "Convection–radiation heat transfer in solar heat exchangers filled with a porous medium: Homotopy perturbation method versus numerical analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 448-455.
    19. 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.
    20. 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.
    21. 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).
    22. Kasaeian, Alibakhsh & Barghamadi, Hossein & Pourfayaz, Fathollah, 2017. "Performance comparison between the geometry models of multi-channel absorbers in solar volumetric receivers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-12.
    23. Liu, Yun & Xie, Ling-tian & Shen, Wen-ran & Xu, Chao & Zhao, Bo-yang, 2023. "Relative flow direction modes and gradual porous parameters for radiation transport and interactions with thermochemical reaction in porous volumetric solar reactor," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 612-621.
    24. Chen, Xue & Wang, Fuqiang & Yan, Xuewei & Han, Yafen & Cheng, Ziming & Jie, Zhu, 2018. "Thermochemical performance of solar driven CO2 reforming of methane in volumetric reactor with gradual foam structure," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 545-555.
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