On the influence of rotation on thermal convection in a rotating cavity for solar receiver applications

In order to address the world's high-energy demand, a novel particle receiver concept for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants has been developed. A key feature of the concept is to exploit a receiver rotation being able to adjust the receiver outlet temperature to different load states. With...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied thermal engineering 2014-09, Vol.70 (1), p.694-704
Main Authors: Wu, Wei, Amsbeck, Lars, Buck, Reiner, Waibel, Niklas, Langner, Philipp, Pitz-Paal, Robert
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Concentrating solar power
Convection
Convective flow
Energy
Energy. Thermal use of fuels
Equipments, installations and applications
Exact sciences and technology
Heat transfer
Holes
Inclination
Natural energy
Particle receiver
Receivers
Rotating
Rotating cavity
Solar energy
Solar power generation
Solar thermal conversion
Theoretical studies. Data and constants. Metering
Walls
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Summary:In order to address the world's high-energy demand, a novel particle receiver concept for concentrating solar power (CSP) plants has been developed. A key feature of the concept is to exploit a receiver rotation being able to adjust the receiver outlet temperature to different load states. Within the scope of identifying the thermal receiver efficiency investigations regarding convection losses of a rotating cavity are conducted. Special attention is paid to the effect of rotation on convective flow in a cylindrical cavity with heated side walls for solar applications. Experiments with a rotating cavity in laboratory scale have clearly revealed a negligible effect of rotation on convective losses in the considered rotation speed range. Compared to the influence of receiver inclination, where the convective losses can be decreased up to 90% for downward-facing receivers, rotation affects them only by at most ±10%. Considering overall thermal losses in the receiver (including conduction and radiation losses), the effect of rotation might be even less than 1% of the incoming solar power. •New receiver concept for high-temperature solar applications is developed.•Effect of rotation on convection losses in cylindrical cavity was examined.•Influence of receiver rotation on convection losses is about ±10%.•In terms of overall thermal losses, effect of rotation is
ISSN:1359-4311
DOI:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2014.03.059