Optical performance study of different shapes of solar cavity receivers used in central receiver system plant. Issue 1 (2nd January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arrif, Toufik; Benchabane, Adel; Guermoui, Mawloud; Gama, Amor; Merarda, Hakim
• Is Part Of: International journal of ambient energy. Volume 42:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 81
• Page End: 95
• Publication Date: 2021-01-02
• Subjects: Concentrated solar power tower -- cavity receiver -- heliostat field layout -- Monte Carlo ray trace method -- optical efficiency; Power resources -- Periodicals; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; 621.04205
• DOI: 10.1080/01430750.2018.1525584
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-0750

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In the current study, we present the optical efficiency of six different shapes of cavity receivers that are mostly used in solar power tower systems. This study was conducted in applied research unit for renewable energies (URAER) at Ghardaïa province, Algeria. Each heliostat reflects the sunray into the centre point of the cavity aperture situated at 7.4 m on the top tower. In order to find the orientation of each heliostat, several parameters relating the position of the sun and heliostat tower system are estimated. Optical simulation was performed by means of TracePro® 2013 ray tracing software using the MCRT (Monte Carlo ray trace) method. The results show that conical and trapezoidal shapes perform better than other studied cavities. They mostly exhibit the highest optical efficiency reaching 92.65%, 91.81% at absorptivity 85% and an optical efficiency of 90.88% and 89.30% at absorptivity 75%.