Flux-off convective loss tests on the MSEE external solar central receiver
Convective heat transfer coefficients have been measured from ''flux-off'' thermal loss tests on the Molten Salt Electric Experiment (MSEE) external solar central receiver. These measured convective heat transfer coefficients are used to validate empirical correlations for convective losses. The empirical correlations are derived by modifying Siebers and Kraabel's correlations to account for wind direction and surface roughness. By varying the wind direction and surface modification factors, the author compared measured data to empirical correlations. Despite high experimental uncertainties, they find predictive correlations which mirror the general trends in the experimental data. However, in almost all cases, the predicted heat transfer coefficients are higher than the values inferred from measurements. To demonstrate the relevance of convective losses, the MSEE receiver thermal efficiency is calculated as a function of wind speed, using three different modification factors in the empirical correlation for forced convection. These three factors bound the calculated efficiency drop to between 2 to 8% for wind speeds from zero to thirty miles per hour (thirteen meters per second). Measured data indicates the effect of wind on the thermal efficiency is between 3 and 5%.
- OSTI ID:
- 5748269
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-861211-
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140702* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Central Receiver
CALCULATION METHODS
CENTRAL RECEIVERS
CONVECTION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUIDS
FORCED CONVECTION
HEAT FLUX
HEAT LOSSES
HEAT TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
LOSSES
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING METHODS
MOLTEN SALTS
SALTS
SOLAR RECEIVERS
TESTING
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMODYNAMICS
VALIDATION
WIND