Category: Recently Published CSP Papers in Journals

Abstract This paper aims to present a numerical study that aims to enhance the thermal efficiency of externally finned solar absorber tubes for use in the solar parabolic trough collector (SPTC). Compared to the internal finned tube, the external finned radiation absorber tube boasts an improved geometry and a simple and straightforward manufacturing process. This …

Continue reading “Published at Applied Thermal Engineering – Optimizing the configuration of external fins of solar receiver tubes for the solar parabolic trough collector”

Abstract: This paper concerns solar-to-thermal energy conversion processes in an open cavity volumetric receiver for a 50-MWth integrated beam-down receiver-storage concentrating solar thermal system. A multiphysical model was developed in a COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1 environment. The model was validated against experimental and modelling data from the literature. The model incorporates specific solar irradiation profiles tailored …

Continue reading “Published at Renewable Energy – Modelling of radiative and convective heat transfer in an open cavity volumetric receiver for a 50-MWth beam-down integrated receiver-storage concentrating solar thermal system”

Abstract: High–temperature solar reactors, which directly heat particle materials, are one of the promising paths leading to more sustainable industrial processes. In case of controlled atmosphere processes, the presence of a window could strongly increase the system efficiency. Nevertheless, so far, particle deposition on the window remains a challenge. This paper proposes an innovative solution …

Continue reading “Published at Applied Thermal Engineering – Investigation of high temperature electrostatic precipitation for implementation in a solar reactor”

Abstract One objective for the 3rd Generation of Concentrating Solar Power technologies is to improve the efficiency of Central Tower, which is among the most promising solar concentration technologies. Central Tower Power Generation Plants are made up of hundreds of heliostats that redirect solar radiation to a target. The precision of the solar tracking is …

Continue reading “Published at Solar Energy – Heliostat drift prediction model to improve heliostat position control in solar fields”

Abstract A new optimization method was proposed to design high-performance deformable petal heliostat fields for concentrated solar power. The petal field was divided into individual sectors, each separately designed to balance pattern orderliness and flexibility. A suitable high-dimensional optimization algorithm was identified from 129 different algorithms using multi-algorithm filtering. To examine the proposed method, four …

Continue reading “Published at Renewable Energy – A new heliostat field optimal design strategy for deformable petal hybrid layout of concentrated solar power via multi-algorithm filtering”

Abstract Falling particle receiver (FPR) systems are a rapidly developing technology for concentrating solar power applications. Solid particles are used as both the heat transfer fluid and system thermal energy storage media. Through the direct irradiation of the solid particles, flux and temperature limitations of tube-bundle receivers can be overcome, leading to higher operating temperatures …

Continue reading “Published at Journal of Solar Energy Engineering – Assessment of Particle Candidates for Falling Particle Receiver Applications Through Irradiance and Thermal Cycling”

Abstract: Volume-averaging method constitutes an efficacious approach for analyzing and optimizing the overall efficiency of the porous receivers. However, the accuracy in the prediction of heat transfer process is significantly contingent upon the precise assessment of empirical parameters. The comprehensive parametric study of empirical parameters and solar radiation uniformity is conducted by applying volume-averaging method …

Continue reading “Published at Solar Energy Materials – Parametric analysis of empirical parameters and solar radiation uniformity on the thermal performance of porous volumetric solar receivers”

Abstract: This study investigates the thermal performance of cavity-shaped porous solar receivers (C-PSR) designed to reduce peak solid temperature and re-radiation losses by optimizing the matching between the heat transfer fluid mass velocity and concentrated solar flux. In this study, a C-PSR prototype was fabricated and evaluated on an indoor sun simulator platform to validate …

Continue reading “Published at Energy – Optimization on thermal performance of the cavity-shaped porous solar receivers”

Abstract: An experimental and computational research was performed to explore the augmentation of turbulent convection in a solar receiver channel by utilizing louver-punched V-type winglets (LPVWs) that were fixed to the absorber plate. The simulation utilized the realizable k-ε turbulent model, and the predicated outputs were verified by the relevant measured data. At a fixed …

Continue reading “Published at Results in Engineering – Enhanced thermal performance in solar receiver duct with louver-punched V-type winglets: Numerical and experimental study”

Abstract Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems utilizing tower technology are acknowledged as a promising solution for generating dispatchable and renewable electricity. In the pursuit of heightened efficiency and competitiveness, novel receiver technologies, including falling particle and sodium billboard receivers, are under investigation due to their capacity to achieve higher maximum temperatures compared to solar salts …

Continue reading “Published at Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews – Falling particle and sodium billboard receivers for polar-field solar tower plants: A techno-economic comparison”