Rotating Solar Receiver Design for High Light Concentration Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concentrated solar power systems face limitations in achieving high light concentration factors due to material thermal tolerances, leading to reduced efficiency and shorter receiver lifespan, along with challenges such as corrosion, freezing, and inefficiency in heat transfer in existing receiver designs.
Innovation Solution
A solar receiver with a heat-absorbing solid body that rotates and is designed to withstand high temperatures, using materials with melting points above 1500°C and coatings with high solar absorptance, allowing for light concentration values up to 20,000, and incorporating a heat exchanger cowl for efficient heat transfer to a working fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high light concentration factors are used to improve thermal efficiency, then energy conversion efficiency is improved, but material thermal tolerance is exceeded and receiver lifespan is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by rotating the heat-absorbing solid body continuously through 360 degrees. This dynamic motion distributes the high concentrated solar flux across the entire surface area of the rotating body over time, preventing any single stationary location from experiencing excessive thermal stress that would exceed material tolerance limits and cause failure. The rotation enables sustained operation at high light concentration factors while preserving receiver lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by utilizing materials with melting points above 1500°C and applying coatings with high solar absorptance. These material parameter selections enable the system to withstand the extreme temperatures generated by high light concentration factors (up to 20,000), allowing efficient energy conversion while maintaining structural integrity and extended receiver operational life.
2Use of energy by moving object
If high light concentration values are used to improve thermal efficiency, then energy absorption is improved, but material stress increases and receiver lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous rotation of the heat-absorbing solid body dynamically distributes the concentrated solar energy load across different surface areas over time. This prevents localized material stress concentration that would occur in stationary receivers, enabling high light concentration values to be used for improved energy absorption while keeping material stress within acceptable limits through temporal distribution of the thermal load.
3Device complexity
If stationary heat-absorbing bodies are used to simplify the receiver design, then device complexity is reduced, but light concentration factor is limited due to thermal tolerance constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces rotation of the heat-absorbing solid body, transforming a stationary simple design into a dynamic system. This added mechanical complexity enables the receiver to withstand much higher light concentration factors (up to 20,000) by distributing thermal stress over time and surface area, far exceeding the concentration limits of stationary designs while maintaining relatively straightforward receiver structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables operation at higher light concentration values, extending the lifespan of the receiver, reducing material stress, and improving thermal efficiency while minimizing the need for high-temperature materials in the receiver structure.
Implementation Method 1
one or more surfaces configured to receive and store solar radiation in the form of heat
Implementation Method 2
exchanging heat between the heat-absorbing solid body and a working fluid
Implementation Method 3
The heat from the receiving material is then usually transferred to a working fluid via processes such as conduction and/or convection
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A solar receiver (100) and associated components, systems and methods for use with a concentrated solar power plant. The solar receiver comprising a heat-absorbing solid body, an optical arrangement configured to direct light on to the heat-absorbing solid body, and a heat exchanger cowl (20) proximate the heat-absorbing solid body arranged to provide a flow of working fluid over the rotor (1). In use the light from the optical arrangement heats the heat- absorbing solid body which in turn heats the working fluid proximate the heat-absorbing solid body. The heat-absorbing solid body is moveable relative to the optical arrangement from a first position to a second position such that the heat-absorbing solid body does not overheat.