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Thermal Analysis of a Solar External Receiver Tube with a Novel Component of Guide Vanes

Author

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  • Zecan Tu

    (College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
    Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Daniela Piccioni Koch

    (Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Nenad Sarunac

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA)

  • Martin Frank

    (Steinbuch Centre for Computing, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany)

  • Junkui Mao

    (College of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China)

Abstract

The heat transfer performance of a solar external receiver tube with guide vanes was numerically studied under non-uniform heat flux conditions. Models of the smooth tube and the tube with guide vanes were built. The distributions of the temperature, velocity, turbulence intensity, and Nu predicted by these two models were compared to investigate the heat transfer enhancement and the mixing effect of the guide vanes. The effect of the Re and the α on the heat transfer enhancement was also studied. The results show that the guide vanes form spiraling flows, reduce the maximum tube and molten salt temperatures, and improve the heat transfer. In addition, a more uniform temperature distribution is achieved compared to the smooth tube, allowing the molten salt to work safely under higher heat flux conditions in the receiver tube with guide vanes. It was observed that a larger Re enhances the heat transfer on the tube wall and achieves a longer effective distance of enhanced heat transfer in the downstream region, while the spiraling flow, the heat transfer enhancement, and the mixing are stronger for a larger α .

Suggested Citation

  • Zecan Tu & Daniela Piccioni Koch & Nenad Sarunac & Martin Frank & Junkui Mao, 2021. "Thermal Analysis of a Solar External Receiver Tube with a Novel Component of Guide Vanes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:8:p:2253-:d:537899
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Qiangqiang & Chang, Zheshao & Fu, Mingkai & Nie, Fuliang & Ren, Ting & Li, Xin, 2023. "Performance analysis of a light uniform device for the solar receiver or reactor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    2. Ye, Kai & Li, Qing & Zhang, Yuanting & Qiu, Yu & Liu, Bin, 2022. "An efficient receiver tube enhanced by a solar transparent aerogel for solar power tower," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).

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