Application of phase change materials for thermal energy storage in concentrated solar thermal power plants: A review to recent developments

Xu, Ben; Li, Peiwen; Chan, Cho Lik

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.09.016

Cited by 557 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 139 publications

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“…Allouche et al [3] simulated fluid flow in the steam ejector of a solar refrigeration system while enhanced heat transfer of parabolic trough absorber pipes are considered by Muños et al [4]. The analysis of CSP heat storage systems using CFD has been a recent development, with Fornarelli et al [5], Pointner et al [6] and Xu et al [7] being significant examples. In terms of using this modelling approach for solar power plants, Fasel et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finite-volume ray tracing using Computational Fluid Dynamics in linear focus CSP applications

et al. 2016

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The modelling of solar irradiation in concentrated solar power (CSP) applications is traditionally done with ray-tracing methods, e.g. the Monte Carlo method. For the evaluation of CSP receivers, the results from ray-tracing codes are typically used to provide boundary conditions to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes for the solution of conjugate heat transfer in the receivers. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using separate software for the irradiation and heat transfer modelling. For traditional ray-tracing methods, advantages are the cost-effectiveness of the Monte Carlo method in modelling reflections from specular surfaces; the ability to statistically assign a sun shape to the rays; the statistical treatment of reflectivity and optical errors (e.g. surface slope errors), to name a few. When considering a complex mirror field and a complex receiver with secondary reflective surfaces, especially with selective coatings to enhance absorption and limit re-radiation losses, standard ray tracers may be limited in specifying emissivity and absorptivity, which are both specular and temperature dependent, and are hence not suitable as radiation analysis tool. This type of scenario can be modelled accurately using CFD, through the finite volume (FV) treatment of the radiative transfer equation (RTE) and a banded spectrum approach at an increased computational cost. This paper evaluates the use of CFD in the form of the commercial CFD code ANSYS Fluent v15 and v16 to model the reflection, transmission and absorption of solar irradiation from diffuse and specular surfaces found in linear CSP applications. 2-D CFD solutions were considered, i.e. line concentration. To illustrate and validate the method, two sources were used. The first source was test cases from literature with published solutions and the second a combined modelling approach where solutions were obtained using both FV and ray tracing (with SolTrace). For all the test cases, good agreement was found when suitable modelling settings were used to limit both ray-effect and false scattering errors.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finite-volume ray tracing using Computational Fluid Dynamics in linear focus CSP applications

et al. 2016

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“…Numerous phase change materials have been investigated as thermal energy storage ranging from organic materials over inorganic materials to eutectic materials [1][2][3][4]. In tandem, a number of PCM thermal energy storage configuration have been proposed, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In tandem, a number of PCM thermal energy storage configuration have been proposed, e.g. pipe storage, cylindrical storage, shell and tube storage, rectangular storage and triplex tube storage [2,[5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical investigation of phase change materials thermal capacitor for pipe flow

Kurnia

Sasmito

2017

MATEC Web Conf.

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Abstract. This study addresses the performance of phase change material as thermal capacitor. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is developed to take into account the conjugate heat transfer between water as the heat transfer fluid (HTF) and PCM as thermal capacitor. A pulsating inlet temperature with constant inlet velocity is prescribed to represent temperature variation. The performance of thermal capacitor is evaluated by closely monitoring outlet temperature and comparing it with inlet temperature to examine the reduction in temperature fluctuation. To intensify heat transfer between HTF and PCM, extended surfaces (fins) are installed on PCM side. The results indicate that PCM thermal capacitor can reduce temperature fluctuation by ~ 1 C. This reduction can be improved further when extended surface is installed with ~ 1.5 C reduction in temperature fluctuation is achieved. Moreover, it is found that the maximum temperature is delayed at the outlet due to slow conjugate heat transfer between HTF and PCM. Inlet velocity is found to have considerable influence of the temperature fluctuation reduction: Slower inlet velocity results in a better temperature fluctuation reduction. This study is expected to serve as a guideline in designing PCM-based thermal capacitor.

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“…1. The main reasons why CSP technology is being more used in process heating applications are that radiation can be concentrated and converted efficiently into heat, and large amounts of heat can be easily stored unlike electricity storage [5]- [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Radiation Performance of a Cavity Receiver for a Parabolic Dish Solar Concentrator System

López¹,

Arenas²,

Baños³

2024

RE&PQJ

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Abstract. The radiation performance of a modified cavity receiver for a low-cost concentrating solar power plant is studied. The optical phenomenon taking place is modelled by using a ray tracing technique based on a finite element approach. This design is also compared to a flat receiver. Corrections for sunlight and optical errors of the parabolic dish are included. Its efficiency is analysed by varying some geometrical parameters of the receiver, maximizing the total power absorbed. It is found that the flux density on the cavity walls is less than on the flat receiver walls, hence decreasing heat losses. Also, in order to reach a maximum radiation performance the receiver is to be placed closer to the concentrator from the focal position. However, the aperture does not improve notably its efficiency, although it has an important role in the convection heat losses as shown in previous works. Finally by varying the cavity diameter it is possible to improve the efficiency when it is well adjusted to the radiation performance of the concentrator on the focal point.

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Application of phase change materials for thermal energy storage in concentrated solar thermal power plants: A review to recent developments

Cited by 557 publications

References 139 publications

Finite-volume ray tracing using Computational Fluid Dynamics in linear focus CSP applications

Finite-volume ray tracing using Computational Fluid Dynamics in linear focus CSP applications

Numerical investigation of phase change materials thermal capacitor for pipe flow

Radiation Performance of a Cavity Receiver for a Parabolic Dish Solar Concentrator System

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