Falling particle solar receivers
| DWPI Title: Falling particle solar receiver system for capturing energy from concentrated solar energy, has receiver housing with inlet that forms curtain of falling particle where inlet is provided with width corresponding to non-linear waveform shape |
| Abstract: Falling particle solar receivers, systems, and methods are disclosed that include one non-linear falling particle curtain or two or more falling particle curtains within a solar receiver that receives incident solar radiation. The particles heated in the solar receiver may be used to heat a secondary fluid. In an embodiment, the particles may be recirculated to improve energy capture and thermal efficiency. In other embodiments, an air curtain may be used across the aperture of the receiver, and flow-control devices may be used to evenly spread particles across the width of the receiver inlet. Finally, feed particles may be preheated using heat from the solar receiver. |
| Use: Falling particle solar receiver system for capturing energy from concentrated solar energy. |
| Advantage: The multiple planes of particle flow captures more of the incident solar radiation than a single plane of particle flow. The multiple planes of particle flow allow particle flows at higher temperatures to transfer heat to cooler particle flows to pre-heat the cooler flows. The thickness and transmittance of the particle curtain is controlled, by increasing the effective length of the particle curtain while maintaining the same optical aperture size and particle mass flow rate. The curtain of air across the window reduces heat losses from the receiver and prevents external wind from disrupting the particles. The zig-zag cross section increases light trapping and serve to increase light transmittance. The slot aperture along the length of the zig-zag cross-section is reduced. |
| Novelty: The system (10) has a receiver housing (21) comprising an inlet (24) for forming a curtain of falling particles through the falling particle solar receiver. The inlet is provided with a width and a cross-section corresponding to a non-linear waveform shape. The non-linear waveform shape comprises triangle or square shaped wavelengths. The receiver housing comprises a window (22) for allowing concentrated solar energy to impinge upon the curtain of falling particles and an air flow device (28) for directing a curtain of air across the window. A heat exchanger (32) is in fluid connectivity to the receiver housing. The heat exchanger receives heated particles from the receiver housing and exchanges heat between the heated particles and a fluid stream. A feed system (16) feeds particles to the receiver housing. The feed system heats feed particles with heat from the receiver housing. |
| Filed: 12/2/2019 |
| Application Number: US16700134A |
| Tech ID: SD 12934.2 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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