Design considerations for heat-pipe solar receivers

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2930476· OSTI ID:6012568

Adkins, D R ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

Heat pipes are being developed to transfer solar energy from the focal point of a parabolic dish concentrator to the working fluid of Stirling engines. With these receivers, concentrated solar energy that is absorbed on the concave surface of a dome is removed by the evaporation of liquid sodium on the convex side of the dome. Vaporized sodium then condenses on an engine's heater tubes and transfers energy to the working fluid of the engine. The condensed sodium returns to the absorber surface where it is redistributed across the dome by the capillary action of a wick. Issues concerning the flow of sodium in a heat-pipe solar receiver are investigated in this paper. A comparison is made between various wick options, and general issues concerning the design of heat-pipe receivers are also discussed.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6012568
• Journal Information: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Solar Energy Engineering; (USA) Vol. 112:3; ISSN 0199-6231; ISSN JSEED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330201 -- External Combustion Engines-- Stirling Cycle
ALKALI METALS
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLUIDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT PIPES
HEATING
METALS
OPERATION
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PARABOLIC TROUGH COLLECTORS
SODIUM
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING
STIRLING ENGINES
WORKING FLUIDS