High-flux optical systems for solar thermochemistry

Levêque, Gaël; Bader, Roman; Lipiński, Wojciech; Haussener, Sophia

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2017.07.046

Cited by 56 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 104 publications

(121 reference statements)

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“…A review conducted by Bushra and Hartmann [10] has shown that most articles published on reflective two-stage solar concentrators deal with applications for power generation using solar cells, and thermo-electric generators. In a work published in 2017, Levêque et al [11] reviewed the designs and characteristics of high-flux optical systems (HFOSs), as well as challenges and opportunities in the area of HFOSs for solar thermochemical applications. This review [11] provides an exhaustive list of point-focusing on-sun HFOSs, showing the characteristics and peak fluxes of existing solar furnaces worldwide (at universities, research institutes, and companies) which use real sunlight, but also of indoor solar simulators.…”

Section: Other Recent Overviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a work published in 2017, Levêque et al [11] reviewed the designs and characteristics of high-flux optical systems (HFOSs), as well as challenges and opportunities in the area of HFOSs for solar thermochemical applications. This review [11] provides an exhaustive list of point-focusing on-sun HFOSs, showing the characteristics and peak fluxes of existing solar furnaces worldwide (at universities, research institutes, and companies) which use real sunlight, but also of indoor solar simulators. The discrepancy between the spectral power distributions of the solar simulators compared to real solar radiation is normally considered a reasonable compromise, in order to allow for easily controlled and repeatable experiments.…”

Section: Other Recent Overviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Solar Heat for Materials Processing: A Review on Recent Achievements and a Prospect on Future Trends

Rosa

2019

ChemEngineering

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Considering works published in the literature for more than a decade (period from January 2008 till June 2019), this paper provides an overview of recent applications of the so-called “solar furnaces”, their reactors, process chambers and related devices, aiming specifically at the processing of (solid) materials. Based on the author’s own experience, some prospects on future trends are also presented. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the tremendous potentialities of the usage of solar heat for materials processing, but also to reveal the necessity of further developing solar-driven high-temperature technologies (which are required to displace the use of electricity or natural gas). In particular, it is essential to improve the temperature homogeneity conditions inside reaction chambers for materials processing using solar heat. Moreover, new innovative modular systems, practical and flexible, for capture, concentration, control and conduction of concentrated solar radiation are suggested. Solar thermal technologies for the production of electricity, as well as solar thermochemical processes for production of gases or liquids, are outside the scope of this review.

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Section: Other Recent Overviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Other Recent Overviewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solar Heat for Materials Processing: A Review on Recent Achievements and a Prospect on Future Trends

Rosa

2019

ChemEngineering

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“…Efforts towards decarbonization of fossil fuels and mitigation of CO2 emissions via solar thermochemical processes have significantly increased over the past few decades. This is not only based on the recent developments of high-flux optical systems [1], but is also supported by the increasing number of new research ideas and inventions [2]. Despite the important progress so far, further development of the current technologies is still required in order to be considered as sustainable replacement for conventional industrial processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic approach for design optimization of a 3 kW solar cavity receiver via multiphysics analysis

et al. 2020

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Use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling for solar reactor design optimization is a powerful tool in developing efficient reactors for solar thermochemical applications. CFD models can capture complex multiphase flow dynamics to explain the physics linking the heat transfer and flow dynamics on chemical conversion efficiency and continuous operation of a solar reactor. Flux map and temperature data can be numerically obtained via CFD inside the solar reactor, which is a harsh environment for penetrating measurement tools. In this paper, a CFD analysis of a solar cavity receiver operated with air flow and is directly irradiated by a 10 kWe high flux solar simulator (HFSS) is presented. Radiative heat transfer from the HFSS is modeled by implementing Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) for tracking the ray paths from the radiative source to the aperture plane of the receiver. Flux densities were computed at the aperture and validated by experimental heat flux characterization of the solar simulator. The validated MCRT model provided directional information on the radiative flux and was sequentially coupled to the computational fluid domain. Through experimental testing, receiver temperatures up to 1200 K were measured with solar input at the entrance of the cavity of around 3 kW radiative power. Experimentally measured non-uniform temperature distribution in the axial direction was recorded, which developed a hot spot at the backplate of the cavity. Accuracy of the numerical model was validated by comparing the temperature prediction inside the cavity receiver to experimental results. Validated model was then used to conduct a parametric study on the flow configuration to identify run conditions yielding enhanced fluid mixing and improved heat transfer characteristics. The results showed that altering the angle of the main inlet ports proved to be effective in reducing the local hot spot in the back of the receiver. Moreover, results of the parametric study identified the increase of main flow rate as a positive contribution towards temperature uniformity throughout the fluid domain.

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“…This furnace could reach a power of one megawatt and nowadays continues serving as an installation for studying materials at very high temperatures. In a recent work by Levêque et al [11], the characteristics of "solar furnaces"-in pointfocusing solar concentration facilities located throughout the world, at universities, research institutes, and companies, and operating at concentrations relevant to solar thermochemistry-have been summarized. More recently (2018), state-of-the-art uses of concentrated solar energy applied to materials science and metallurgy have been comprehensively reviewed by Fernández-González et al [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mathematical Models for Simulation and Optimization of High-Flux Solar Furnaces

Pereira

Fernandes

Rosa

2019

MCA

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High-flux solar furnaces distributed throughout the world have been designed and constructed individually, i.e., on a one-by-one basis because there are several possible optical configurations that must take into account the geographical location and the maximum power to be attained. In this work, three ray-tracing models were developed to simulate the optical paths travelled by sun rays in solar furnaces of high concentration using as an example, the solar furnace SF60 of the Plataforma Solar de Almería, in Spain. All these simulation models are supported by mathematical constructions, which are also presented. The first model assumes a random distribution of sun rays coming from a concentrator with spherical curvature. The second model assumes that a random distribution of parallel rays coming from the heliostat is reflected by a concentrator with spherical curvature. Finally, the third model considers that the random parallel rays are reflected by a concentrator with a paraboloid curvature. The three models are all important in optical geometry, although the paraboloid model is more adequate to optimize solar furnaces. The models are illustrated by studying the influence of mirror positioning and shutter attenuation. Additionally, ray-tracing simulations confirmed the possibility to attain homogenous distribution of flux by means of double reflexion using two paraboloid surfaces.

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High-flux optical systems for solar thermochemistry

Cited by 56 publications

References 104 publications

Solar Heat for Materials Processing: A Review on Recent Achievements and a Prospect on Future Trends

Solar Heat for Materials Processing: A Review on Recent Achievements and a Prospect on Future Trends

Systematic approach for design optimization of a 3 kW solar cavity receiver via multiphysics analysis

Mathematical Models for Simulation and Optimization of High-Flux Solar Furnaces

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