Numerical Simulation of a Centrifugal Particle Receiver for High-Temperature Concentrating Solar Applications

Abstract

A three-dimensional, steady-state finite-element model (FEM) model of a centrifugal particle receiver for high-temperature concentrating solar applications has been developed. The model is built according to an experimentally examined 15 kW prototype in order to investigate the thermal receiver performance and the governing heat transfer mechanisms of the proposed receiver concept. Comparison to the experimental data reveals good agreement in terms of particle outlet temperature and absorbed heat. For a target particle outlet temperature of 900 C and a design input flux of 1 MW/m 2 , a receiver efficiency of >85% is predicted, indicating promising perspectives for the proposed receiver concept.

Operational experience of a centrifugal particle receiver prototype

“…· Proof-of-Concept with a receiver prototype of 7.5 kWth power in a solar furnace [4]. · Upscaling of the receiver to 2.5 MW th power in a commercial setup for a future pilot plant [5].…”

On-Sun Performance Evaluation of Alternative High-Temperature Falling Particle Receiver Designs

“…Conventional concentrating solar power systems that employ central receivers typically utilize a heat transfer fluid (e.g., water, molten salt, air, liquid metal) flowing through tubes or channels to cool the irradiated receiver. Falling particle receivers are being investigated to enable higher operating temperatures (>700 C), inexpensive direct storage, and higher receiver efficiencies for concentrating solar power technologies and hydrogen production [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Unlike conventional receivers that employ fluid flowing through tubular receivers, falling particle receivers use solid particles that are heated directly as they fall through a beam of concentrated sunlight for direct heat absorption.…”

“…Once heated, the particles may be stored in an insulated tank and used to heat a secondary working fluid for power generation or process heating. Previous studies have considered alternative particle receiver designs including free-falling [13,14], centrifugal [15,16], flow in tubes with or without fluidization [10,17,18], multipass recirculation [4,12], north-or south-facing [1,6], and face-down configurations [12].…”

Upscaling, Manufacturing and Test of a Centrifugal Particle Receiver

“…One direct absorption receiver concept currently investigated at the DLR is the so-called Centrifugal Particle Receiver (CentRec) described in [1,2,4]. A schematic of the principal design is given in FIGURE 1.…”

“…A schematic of the principal design is given in FIGURE 1. Previous successful tests and promising results of this receiver have been achieved in a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) scale with 7.5 kW th [1,2,3]. In a next step this receiver technology has been scaled up to higher thermal power for a future pilot plant.…”