Reflux pool-boiler as a heat-transport device for Stirling engines: On-sun test program results
The efficient operation of a Stirling engine requires the application of a high heat flux to the relatively small area occupied by the heater head tubes. Previous attempts to couple solar energy to Stirling engines generally involved directly illuminating the heater head tubes with concentrated sunlight. In this study, operation of 75-kW, sodium reflux pool-boiler solar receiver has been demonstrated and its performance characterized on Sandia's nominal 75-kW parabolic-dish concentrator, using a cold-water gas-gap calorimeter to simulate Stirling engine operation. The pool boiler (and more generally liquid-metal reflux receivers) supplies heat to the engine in the form of latent heat released from condensation of the metal vapor on the heater head tubes. The advantages of the pool boiler include uniform tube temperature, leading to longer life and higher temperature available to the engine, and decoupling of the design of the solar absorber from the engine heater head. The two-phase system allows high input thermal flux, reducing the receiver size and losses, therefore improving system efficiency. The receiver design is reported here along with test results including transient operations, steady-state performance evaluation, operation at various temperatures, and x-ray studies of the boiling behavior. Also reported are a fist-order cost analysis, plans for future studies, and the integration of the receiver with a Stirling Thermal Motors STM4-120 Stirling engine. 19 refs., 11 figs.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/DP
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 7179489
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-90-0268C; CONF-900801--2; ON: DE90011021
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140700* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems
141000 -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330201 -- External Combustion Engines-- Stirling Cycle
BOILERS
CALORIMETERS
COMMERCIALIZATION
CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
COST
DESIGN
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT TRANSFER
MANUFACTURING
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MIRRORS
PARABOLIC COLLECTORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SIMULATION
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR FLUX
SOLAR RECEIVERS
SPECTROSCOPY
STIRLING ENGINES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TESTING
THERMOCOUPLES
THERMODYNAMICS
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY