Optimized operation of an open volumetric air receiver

Abstract

The performance of an open volumetric air receiver depends on the quality of the flux density distribution on the receiver surface and on the use of irradiated power in the receiver. Whereas flux density distributions can be optimized using aim point optimization e.g. with ant colony optimization algorithms, a method for the thermal optimization of the receiver is presented using dynamic programming as powerful optimization algorithm. The total mass flow rate of the receiver is maximized with given desired air outlet temperature by choosing the optimal combination of mass flow rates and air temperatures in the subreceivers under consideration of flux density and temperature restrictions. The optimization method is demonstrated successfully in five simulation cases and possible application fields like receiver design, development of operation strategies for receiver and heliostat field are discussed. A combined optimization of aim point optimization and thermal optimization is planned for the future.