Markus Pfänder

Multiple Air-Jet Window Cooling for High-Temperature Pressurized Volumetric Receivers: Testing, Evaluation, and Modeling

High air outlet temperatures increase the solar share of pressurized solar receivers for gas turbines, operated in solar-fossil hybrid mode. However, an increase in outlet temperature over 800°C leads to excessive heating of the receiver window, unless it is actively cooled. This paper describes modeling, testing, and evaluation of a high-temperature receiver with external multiple air-jet window cooling. An asymmetric window-cooling design with pulsating air mass flow rates achieves suitable cooling of the concave fused-silica window. A thermodynamic receiver model, comprising nongray radiative heat transfer, convection, and conduction is the basis of the external window cooling design. In addition to high-temperature testing with window cooling in operation, solar tests at lower temperatures with no window cooling were conducted to verify the thermodynamic receiver model. Temperature distributions on the quartz window and the absorber were determined by an infrared scanner which was specially developed for temperature measurement on the high-temperature module. Comparisons of simulations and measurements show good agreement. With multiple air-jet window cooling, receiver air outlet temperatures over 1000°C could be reached, while window temperatures are kept below 800°C.

Calibration corrections of solar tower flux density measurements

The PSA flux density measuring system PROHERMES measures the concentrated solar radiation in the entrance aperture of solar tower receivers with a white rotating bar as target and a CCD-camera taking images. The calibration is done with commercial flux gauges placed in the measurement plane. To im prove the calibration of the system and to reveal systematic errors, measurements are performed with two different types of commercial flux gauges (Thermogage sensors with and without quartz window) and a large custom-made calorimeter used as reference. The comparison shows that the sensors without quartz window measure about 5–8% higher and the sensors with quartz window about 100% higher. This error is explained with the differences in the spectral composition of the radiation and different angles of incidence between the manufacturer calibration and the solar measurements and corrections are proposed. Spectral changes of the sunlight during the day and year can affect the measurements by more than 10%. By selecting a correction filter adapted to the camera sensitivity, this influence can be reduced to less than 2.5%. Due to the reflective properties of the target coating, changes in angle of incidence can affect the measurements. In standard solar field conditions, this error is less than 0.5%, but for special conditions a correction of the systematic error of up to 8% is proposed.

Experimental Verification of Optical Modeling of Parabolic Trough Collectors by Flux Measurement

In order to optimize the solar field output of parabolic trough collectors (PTCs), it is essential to study the influence of collector and absorber geometry on the optical performance. The optical ray-tracing model of PTC conceived for this purpose uses photogrammetrically measured concentrator geometry in commercial Monte Carlo ray-tracing software. The model has been verified with measurements of a scanning flux measurement system, measuring the solar flux density distribution close to the focal line of the PTC. The tool uses fiber optics and a charged coupled device camera to scan the focal area of a PTC module. Since it is able to quantitatively detect spilled light with good spatial resolution, it provides an evaluation of the optical efficiency of the PTC. For comparison of ray-tracing predictions with measurements, both flux maps and collector geometry have been measured under identical conditions on the Eurotrough prototype collector at the Plataforma Solar de Almeria. The verification of the model is provided by three methods: the comparison of measured intercept factors with corresponding simulations, comparison of measured flux density distributions with corresponding ray-tracing predictions, and comparison of thermographically measured temperature distribution on the absorber surface with flux density distribution predicted for this surface. Examples of sensitivity studies performed with the validated model are shown.

Pyrometric Temperature Measurements on Solar Thermal High Temperature Receivers

The knowledge of the absorber surface temperature distribution is essential for efficient operation and further development of solar thermal high temperature receivers. However, the concentrated solar radiation makes it difficult to determine the temperature on irradiated surfaces. Contact thermometry is not appropriate and pyrometric measurements are distorted by the reflected solar radiation. The measurement in solar-blind spectral ranges offers a possible solution by eliminating the reflected solar radiation from the measurement signal. The paper shows that besides the incoming solar radiation and the absorber emittance, the bi-directional reflection properties and the temperature of the object are determining for the required selectivity of the spectral filter. Atmospheric absorption affects the solar blind pyrometric measurements in absorption bands of CO2 and water vapor. The deviation of temperature measurement due to atmospheric absorption is quantified and the possibilities and limitations of accounting for the atmospheric absorption with models based on radiation transfer calculations are discussed.

Solar blind pyrometric temperature measurement on pressurized volumetric power tower receivers

The operation of solar thermal high temperature receivers requires an accurate knowledge of the temperature distribution on critical parts of the receiver. However, concentrated solar radiation makes it difficult to determine the temperature on irradiated surfaces. Contact thermometry is not appropriate for the use under concentrated solar radiation and also pyrometry fails when external light sources interfere significantly. To avoid distortion of the temperature reading, the measurement has to be performed in a spectral range where the emitted thermal radiation exceeds the reflected solar radiation by a multiple. The measurement in solar blind spectral regions of atmospheric absorption bands offers one possible solution of filtering the solar radiance from the measurement signal. Along with the intensity of the incoming solar radiation and the absorber emittance, the bidirectional reflection properties and the temperature of the object determine the required selectivity of the spectral filter. In atmospheric absorption bands, the influence of the atmospheric absorption on the measurement signal cannot be neglected even for small path length. The paper describes the methods of solar blind pyrometric temperature measurement on solar thermal high temperature receivers and shows the possibilities and limitations of accounting for the atmospheric absorption with models based on radiation transfer calculations. Finally, experimental results recorded with an infrared mirror scanner especially designed for the measurement on a pressurized volumetric receiver are presented and compared to thermocouple readings and results of a thermodynamic model of the receiver.