Concentrating solar thermal power (CSTP) technology has become a hot issue in the present research because of its high conversion efficiency. However, traditional schemes cannot be widely applied due to their complex structure, low power density, and high cost. In view of this, based on a new type of lightweight cable mesh reflector structure and the Rankine cycle, a new conceptual design of thermal‐electric conversion device in CSTP system is proposed. The process of thermal‐electric conversion is actualized through smart and lightweight structural design; the performance estimation of the device is carried out through focusing performance analysis and thermodynamic analysis; the cycling feasibility is verified through multifield coupling simulation analysis. Compared with the existing thermal‐electric conversion devices, the device proposed in this paper has higher power‐to‐weight ratio. And the power generation system that combines the proposed device with the flexible cable net reflector has the characteristics of lightweight, portability, and small land area, which has a great significance for the popularization and application of distributed layout CSTP system.
To meet the high precision sun tracking needs of a space deployable membrane solar concentrator and other equipment, an existing algorithm for accurately computing the sun position is improved. Firstly, compared with other theories, the VSOP (variation seculaires des orbits planetaires) 87 theory is selected and adopted to obtain the sun position in the second equatorial coordinate system. Comparing the results with data of the astronomical almanac from 2015, it is found that the deviation of the apparent right ascension does not exceed 0.17 arc seconds, while that of the apparent declination does not exceed 1.2 arc seconds. Then, to eliminate the difference in the direction of the sun position with respect to the satellite caused by the size of the satellite’s orbit, a translation transform is introduced in the proposed algorithm. Finally, the proposed algorithm is applied to the orbit of the satellite designated by SJ-4 (shijian-4). Under the condition that both of the existing and improved algorithms adopt the VSOP87 theory to compute sun position in the second equatorial coordinate system, the maximum deviation of the azimuth angle on the SJ-4 is 35.19 arc seconds and the one of pitch angle is 19.93 arc seconds, when the deviation is computed by subtracting the results given by both algorithms. In summary, the proposed algorithm is more accurate than the existing one.
The Rankine cycle, as a common way of solar power generation, is receiving more and more attention. However, the adoption of a mechanical booster pump in the conventional Rankine cycle affects the compactness of the power system. Based on this, a new booster cavity is proposed in this paper for an integrated thermal-electric conversion device, to replace the mechanical booster pump. For this proposed structure, the pressurization of low pressure condensate liquid is achieved by utilizing the internal energy of high temperature and high pressure vapor. To verify its feasibility, the theoretical description of the physical process, mathematical modeling, simulation analysis, and experimental verification of the structure are presented in this paper. It can be found that the structure is workable, and no power transmission from an external energy source is required for the thermal-electric conversion device adopting this structure. Although the conversion efficiency of the proposed cycle is 15.23%, which is slightly lower than the 15.71% efficiency of the conventional Rankine cycle under the same operating condition, it is a true thermal driven power generation, which enables a more compact system.
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