Numerical investigation of flow, heat transfer characteristics and structure improvement in a fluidized bed solar particle receiver

Abstract

The fluidized bed solar particle receiver (SPR) has the potential to be used widely in the next generation concentrated solar power (CSP) plant as its high operating temperature, excellent stability and high energy storage capacity. However, the particle circulation pattern and temperature distribution are difficult to be visualized and measured by experimental methods, and there is a lack of improvement on the internal structure of the receiver. In this contribution, a three-dimensional transient numerical model is developed to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics under solar radiation. Moreover, three kinds of guide plate structure are designed to improve the particle average temperature. The results show that particle temperature can reach 1645.34 K after 10 s. The | | type guide plate has the best effect on increasing the average particle temperature. The particle average temperature is increased by about 3.70 %. Besides, increasing particle diameter and airflow velocity declines the thermal performance of the receiver.By contrast, with the rising of solar radiation intensity, particle average temperature increases from 1706.26 K to 1872.03 K. Simulation results can provide reference for the design and improvement of solar particle receiver.