Numerical Study of Parameters Effect on Thermo-flow Characteristics of up Bubbling Fluidized Bed Particle Solar Receiver
Abstract
Concentrated solar power (CSP) plant integrated with thermal energy storage system has the potential to scale up to megawatt scale. A new concept using dense particle suspension flow in up bubbling fluidized bed (UBFB) solar receiver for solar energy capture is promising. The characterization of the dense particle suspension was rarely investigated when operating conditions and tube structure changed. In this paper, a 3D two-fluids model is established to investigate the behaviour of dense particles suspension in the UBFB receiver. The impacts of the superficial gas velocity, tube diameter and wall temperature on the dense particle suspension hydrodynamics and wall-to-bed heat transfer process are comprehensively studied. The results show that the stirring action of bubbles due to bubble wake drift is enhanced when the superficial gas velocity increased and the wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient is increased with the tube diameter under a certain range. Moreover, the radiation heat transfer becomes significant when the wall temperature exceeds 1000K. The results obtained can provide a valuable reference for the design and operation of the UBFB receiver in CSP plant.
