A cylindrical cavity-receiver containing a tubular absorber that uses air as the heat transfer fluid is proposed for a novel solar trough concentrator design. A numerical heat transfer model is developed to determine the receiver’s absorption efficiency and pumping power requirement. The 2D steady-state energy conservation equation coupling radiation, convection and conduction heat transfer is formulated and solved numerically by finite-difference techniques. The Monte Carlo ray-tracing and radiosity methods are applied to establish the solar radiation distribution and radiative exchange within the receiver. Simulations were conducted for a 50 m-long and 9.5 m-wide collector section with 120°C air inlet temperature, and air mass flows in the range 0.1–1.2 kg/s. Outlet air temperatures ranged from 260 to 601 °C, and corresponding absorption efficiencies varied between 60 and 18%. Main heat losses integrated over the receiver length were due to reflection and spillage at the receiver’s windowed aperture, amounting to 13% and 9% of the solar power input, respectively. The pressure drop along the 50 m module was in the range 0.23 to 11.84 mbar, resulting in isentropic pumping power requirements of 6.45·10−4%–0.395% of the solar power input.
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ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability
May 17–22, 2010
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Advanced Energy Systems Division and Solar Energy Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4395-6
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
An Air-Based Cavity-Receiver for Solar Trough Concentrators Available to Purchase
Maurizio Barbato,
Maurizio Barbato
SUPSI, Manno, Switzerland
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Andrea Pedretti,
Andrea Pedretti
Airlight Energy Holding SA, Biasca, Switzerland
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Aldo Steinfeld
Aldo Steinfeld
ETH Zurich, Zurich; Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
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Roman Bader
ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Maurizio Barbato
SUPSI, Manno, Switzerland
Andrea Pedretti
Airlight Energy Holding SA, Biasca, Switzerland
Aldo Steinfeld
ETH Zurich, Zurich; Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Paper No:
ES2010-90110, pp. 519-528; 10 pages
Published Online:
December 22, 2010
Citation
Bader, R, Barbato, M, Pedretti, A, & Steinfeld, A. "An Air-Based Cavity-Receiver for Solar Trough Concentrators." Proceedings of the ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability. ASME 2010 4th International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Volume 2. Phoenix, Arizona, USA. May 17–22, 2010. pp. 519-528. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/ES2010-90110
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