Experimental characterization of the heat transfer in a free-falling-particle receiver

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 363 - 374
• Main Authors: Rightley, M.J., Matthews, L.K., Mulholland, G.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1992; Elsevier; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: 141000 - Solar Collectors & Concentrators; Applied sciences; BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS; CONCEPTION; CONVERSION; COST; DESIGN; DISENO; EFFICIENCY; Electrical equipment; ENERGIA SOLAR; ENERGIE SOLAIRE; Energy; ENERGY CONVERSION; ENERGY TRANSFER; EQUIPO; Exact sciences and technology; FURNACES; Heat; HEAT FLOW; HEAT FLUX; HEAT TRANSFER; INSTRUMENT DE MESURE; INSTRUMENTOS DE MEDICION; MATERIEL; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MODELE; MODELOS; Natural energy; OPERATION; PROPIEDADES TERMICAS; PROPRIETE THERMIQUE; RADIACIONES; RADIANT HEAT TRANSFER; RADIATION; RADIATIONS; SOLAR ABSORBERS; Solar collectors; SOLAR ENERGY; SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION; SOLAR EQUIPMENT; solar furnace; SOLAR FURNACES; solar receiver; SOLAR RECEIVERS; SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION; SPHERES; spherical beads; TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT; THERMAL PROPERTIES; thermocouple funnel; THERMOCOUPLES; Design; Sphere; Temperature distribution; Solar receiver; Solar furnace; Glass; Heat flow; Numerical simulation; Experimental study; Performance; Fluidized bed
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/0038-092X(92)90045-C

This paper describes the measurements performed on a Free Falling curtain of spherical beads being irradiated in a high-flux solar furnace. The curtain of spherical beads is part of a direct absorption solar receiver concept, which replaces the conventional water and steam receiver (DAR) and is potentially more efficient and less expensive than a conventional receiver. To adequately describe a DAR a series of experiments have been designed and implemented to measure radiative heat flux and particle temperatures. The extinction coefficient for the DAR bead curtain has also been measured. These data and results along with a new method for measuring bulk bead temperature will be discussed. A method is also described which uses the angular distribution of incoming radiative heat flux to estimate the incoming intensity field.