Aerodynamic loading characteristics of a hemispherical solar concentrator: The Crosbyton Solar Power Project, Task 5
An experimental study was performed in the Texas Tech University Department of Mechanical Engineering subsonic wind tunnel to determine the aerodynamic loading characteristics of a hemispherical solar concentrator. Measurements were made to determine drag, lift and yaw force coefficients as a function of Reynolds number, concentrator - wind geometry and orientation for a hemispherical solar concentrator submerged varying amounts in a turbulent bounary layer flow. Results were compared to prior measurements for a uniform flow field for a hemispherical concentrator and for both parabolic dish and trough collectors. Measurements were also made to predict vortex shedding frequencies for a hemispherical concentrator as a function of Reynolds number and orientation. Results of the drag coefficient measurements indicated that the effect of submersion in the boundary layer was to reduce the drag coefficient with increasing model depth in the boundary layer. Similar results were obtained for yaw and lift coefficients. Measured coefficients were also generally lower than those found in the literature for either parabolic dish or parabolic trough systems under similar conditions. Measured vortex shedding frequencies, as expected, were not dependent on approach Reynolds number for the bluff body geometry tested in this effort.
- Research Organization:
- Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock (USA). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-83AL21557
- OSTI ID:
- 6562824
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/AL/21557-T11; ON: DE87002018
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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