Fluid flow distribution optimization for minimizing the peak temperature of a tubular solar receiver

Min Wei, Yilin Fan, Lingai Luo and Gilles Flamant

Energy, 2015, vol. 91, issue C, 663-677

Abstract: High temperature solar receiver is a core component of solar thermal power plants. However, non-uniform solar irradiation on the receiver walls and flow maldistribution of heat transfer fluid inside the tubes may cause the excessive peak temperature, consequently leading to the reduced lifetime. This paper presents an original CFD (computational fluid dynamics)-based evolutionary algorithm to determine the optimal fluid distribution in a tubular solar receiver for the minimization of its peak temperature. A pressurized-air solar receiver comprising of 45 parallel tubes subjected to a Gaussian-shape net heat flux absorbed by the receiver is used for study. Two optimality criteria are used for the algorithm: identical outlet fluid temperatures and identical temperatures on the centerline of the heated surface. The influences of different filling materials and thermal contact resistances on the optimal fluid distribution and on the peak temperature reduction are also evaluated and discussed.

Keywords: Flow maldistribution; High temperature solar receiver; Peak temperature; Evolutionary algorithm; Optimality criterion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:91:y:2015:i:c:p:663-677

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.08.072

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