Effect of Quartz Aperture Covers on the Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Efficiency of Falling Particle Receivers

Yue, Lindsey; Mills, Brantley; Christian, Josh; Ho, Clifford K.

doi:10.1115/1.4053449

Effect of Quartz Aperture Covers on the Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Efficiency of Falling Particle Receivers

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 23:00:00 EST 2022 · Journal of Solar Energy Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4053449· OSTI ID:1670734

Yue, Lindsey ^[1]; Mills, Brantley ^[1]; Christian, Josh ^[1]; Ho, Clifford K. ^[1]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Falling particle receivers are an emerging technology for use in concentrating solar power systems. In this paper, quartz half-shells are investigated for use as full or partial aperture covers to reduce receiver thermal losses. Quartz half-shell aperture covers offer the ability to minimally interfere with incoming solar radiation from the heliostat field while obstructing thermal radiation and advection from leaving the receiver cavity. The fluid dynamics and heat transfer of a receiver subdomain and surrounding air are modeled using ANSYS®FLUENT We compare the percentage of total incident solar power lost due to conduction through the receiver walls, advective losses through the aperture, and radiation exiting the aperture. Contrary to expected outcomes, results show that quartz aperture covers can increase radiative losses and result in modest to nonexistent reductions in advective losses. The increased radiative losses are driven by elevated quartz half-shell temperatures and have the potential to be mitigated by active cooling and/or material selection. Quartz half-shell total transmissivity was measured experimentally using a radiometer and the National Solar Thermal Test Facility heliostat field with values up to 0.97 ± 0.01. Quartz half-shell aperture covers did not yield expected efficiency gains in numerical results due to increased radiative losses, but efficiency improvement in some numerical results and the performance of quartz half-shells subject to concentrated solar radiation suggest that quartz half-shell aperture covers should be investigated further.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000

OSTI ID:: 1670734

Report Number(s):: SAND-2020-7104J; 687286

Journal Information:: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Journal Name: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 144; ISSN 0199-6231

Publisher:: ASMECopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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14 SOLAR ENERGY
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Effect of Quartz Aperture Covers on the Fluid Dynamics and Thermal Efficiency of Falling Particle Receivers

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