A new idea to increase the convective efficiency of a solar tower air receiver by creating a controlled vortex

Abstract

Concentrated solar energy as a source of renewable energy has a high potential for solving the current energy crisis. The solar tower receiver is a crucial element of solar energy conversion efficiency. To increase the convective efficiency of the solar tower receiver, the idea of creating a vortex is proposed. The vortex is created either in the plane in front of the receiver, for flat receivers, or in the internal volume of the receiver, for cavity-type receivers. The calculation formulas for calculating the parameters of the controlled vortex are proposed and computer modeling is performed to determine the effectiveness of the proposed idea. The results of computer modeling confirmed the physical possibility of the controlled vortex formation in the receiver space and visually show the flow structure. Also, the general dependence of the air return coefficient in the VoCoRec receiver on the flow twist was found. Conclusions are drawn on the satisfactory results obtained and on the improvement of the existing model of the controlled vortex.