A high-temperature high-concentration pressurized-air solar receiver is considered for driving a power generation Brayton cycle. The modular design consists of a cylindrical SiC cavity surrounded by a concentric annular reticulated porous ceramic (RPC) foam contained in a stainless steel pressure vessel, with a secondary concentrator attached to its windowless aperture. Experimentation was carried out in a solar tower for up to 47 kW of concentrated solar radiative power input in the absolute pressure range of 2-6 bar. Peak outlet air temperatures exceeding 1200 °C were reached for an average solar concentration ratio of 2500 suns. A notable thermal efficiency—defined as the ratio of the enthalpy change of the air flow divided by the solar radiative power input through the aperture—of 91% was achieved at 700 °C and 4 bar.
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June 2015
Research-Article
Modular Design and Experimental Testing of a 50 kWth Pressurized-Air Solar Receiver for Gas Turbines
Peter Poživil,
Peter Poživil
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
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Nicolas Ettlin,
Nicolas Ettlin
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Search for other works by this author on:
Fabian Stucker,
Fabian Stucker
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
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Aldo Steinfeld
Aldo Steinfeld
1
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Solar Technology Laboratory,
e-mail: aldo.steinfeld@ethz.ch
Paul Scherrer Institute
,Villigen 5232
, Switzerland
e-mail: aldo.steinfeld@ethz.ch
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Peter Poživil
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Nicolas Ettlin
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Fabian Stucker
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Aldo Steinfeld
Department of Mechanical
and Process Engineering,
and Process Engineering,
ETH Zürich
,Zürich 8092
, Switzerland
Solar Technology Laboratory,
e-mail: aldo.steinfeld@ethz.ch
Paul Scherrer Institute
,Villigen 5232
, Switzerland
e-mail: aldo.steinfeld@ethz.ch
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received May 20, 2014; final manuscript received October 19, 2014; published online November 17, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Markus Eck.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Jun 2015, 137(3): 031002 (7 pages)
Published Online: June 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
May 20, 2014
Revision Received:
October 19, 2014
Online:
November 17, 2014
Citation
Poživil, P., Ettlin, N., Stucker, F., and Steinfeld, A. (June 1, 2015). "Modular Design and Experimental Testing of a 50 kWth Pressurized-Air Solar Receiver for Gas Turbines." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. June 2015; 137(3): 031002. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4028918
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