Exploiting volumetric effects in novel additively manufactured open solar receivers

Luque, Salvador; Menéndez, Guillermo; Roccabruna, Mattia; González-Aguilar, José; Crema, Luigi; Romero, Manuel

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2018.09.030

Cited by 41 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…This is attributed to an improved volumetric absorption due to higher radiative penetration depth and lower re‐radiation losses at the front. The same trend was observed for solar receivers that feature a porosity gradient . The lowest backside temperature was reached by the v‐groove structure, partly because a large portion of the radiation (44%) is already attenuated at the front (Figure ).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 67%

“…Volumetric absorption of concentrated solar radiation using ceramic receivers has been intensively investigated . Of special interest are structures featuring a porosity gradient obtained, e.g., by composites with different pore dimensions, by introducing spikes, and more recently by hierarchically layered fractal‐like structures . The latter was fabricated by the additive manufacturing technique.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Additive‐Manufactured Ordered Porous Structures Made of Ceria for Concentrating Solar Applications

et al. 2019

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Porous structures made of redox active ceria are attractive for high‐temperature concentrating solar applications and particularly for the thermochemical splitting of H2O and CO2 as their enhanced heat and mass transport properties lead to fast reaction rates, especially with regard to the absorption of concentrated solar radiation during the endothermic reduction step. Hierarchically ordered porous structures, fabricated by the Schwartzwald replica method on 3D‐printed polymer scaffolds, are experimentally assessed for their ability to volumetrically absorb high‐flux irradiation of up to 670 suns. Temperature distributions across the porosity‐gradient path are measured (peak 1724 K) and compared with that obtained for a reticulated porous ceramic (RPC) structure with a uniform porosity. To assist the analysis, a Monte Carlo ray‐tracing model is developed for pore‐level numerical simulations of the ordered geometries and applied to analyze the absorbing–emitting–scattering exchange and determine the radiation attenuation and the temperature distribution at a radiative equilibrium. In contrast to the Bouguer's law exponential‐decay attenuation of incident radiation observed for the RPC, the ordered structures with a porosity gradient exhibit a step‐wise radiative attenuation that leads to a more uniform temperature distribution across the structure. This in turn predicts a superior redox performance.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Additive‐Manufactured Ordered Porous Structures Made of Ceria for Concentrating Solar Applications

et al. 2019

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“…This low temperature in front of the receiver reduces losses of radiative emission to the environment [13]. However only some VR have shown the presence of this effect in particular conditions [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Radiation Propagation inside a Hierarchical Solar Volumetric Absorber

Pratticò

Bartali

Crema

et al. 2020

The First World Energies Forum—Current and Future Energy Issues

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The solar receiver is a critical component of concentrated solar power technology; it works as a heat exchanger, transforming the concentrated solar radiation into high-temperature heat. Volumetric receiver technologies, using air as a heat transfer fluid, are designed to reach higher temperatures than the current receiver technology, which is limited by material resistance and fluid instability. The higher temperature, up to 1200 K, could be used in high-temperature industrial processes or a high-temperature thermodynamic cycle. A correct radiation propagation is essential to develop their performances, reducing reflection and emission losses and promote the heat transfer to the fluid. In this study, the optical behaviour of a hierarchical volumetric receiver (HVR) developed in Bruno Kessler Foundation (FBK) has been studied using Monte Carlo ray tracing (MCRT) simulations. The simulations have been validated in an experimental setup that evaluates the light transmissivity of the HVR porous structure. Two different HVR structures are evaluated with MCRT simulations that use a real solar dish geometry to configure a complete concentrated solar power (CSP) plant. Results show that frontal and rear losses are, respectively, 12% and 3% of the incoming concentrated radiation. Inside the HVR, 15% of the incoming power is propagated trough the lateral void spaces. Therefore, the power spreading avoids the overconcentration of the centre of the focalized area. The HVR optical behaviour has been investigated, showing an optical efficiency of 85%.

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“…Foams used as atmospheric air solar receivers present a major drawback, they absorb the solar flux in the first part of their depth (5 to 10 %), not exploiting the full potential of the specific surface area they offer. Nevertheless, some experimental [27] and numerical studies tend to demonstrate that the volumetric effect may be possible to achieve, but important geometric or physical considerations have to be taken into account [25,26,28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital design and 3D printing of innovative SiC architectures for high temperature volumetric solar receivers

Heisel

Caliot

Chartier

et al. 2021

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

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In order to demonstrate that digital material engineering methodology is able to address the design and optimisation of architectured ceramic materials, solar volumetric receivers employed in Solar Thermal Power Plants (STPP) have been studied. A digital design approach for obtaining new receivers, at the macroscopic structural scale, is proposed. This approach couples virtual structure generation, ray tracing and thermal simulations at the scale of the base structural components (microscopic scale). Then, a recently developed process for manufacturing silicon carbide (SiC) parts by binder jetting is used to elaborate three optimised structures which are tested on-sun at high temperature in a solar concentrator reproducing the STPP operation conditions. The results obtained with these structures, having original shapes, are promising: the average experimental outlet air temperature reaches a maximum of 1133 K, energy yields can reach 0.49 despite high experimental heat losses, and all the SiC structures, made with a new material based on 3D printing, withstood the high temperatures reached, up to 1500 K. Comparison between digital and experimental results shows that the approach presented in this paper paves the way to a new digital material engineering approach.

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Exploiting volumetric effects in novel additively manufactured open solar receivers

Cited by 41 publications

References 18 publications

Additive‐Manufactured Ordered Porous Structures Made of Ceria for Concentrating Solar Applications

Additive‐Manufactured Ordered Porous Structures Made of Ceria for Concentrating Solar Applications

Analysis of Radiation Propagation inside a Hierarchical Solar Volumetric Absorber

Digital design and 3D printing of innovative SiC architectures for high temperature volumetric solar receivers

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