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On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.

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Main Author: Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
Other Authors: Hoffmann, J. E.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2020
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access_status_str Open Access
author Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
author2 Hoffmann, J. E.
author_browse Hoffmann, J. E.
Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
author_facet Hoffmann, J. E.
Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
author_sort Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109329
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:20.403Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2020
publishDateRange 2020
publishDateSort 2020
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/109329 On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP) Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes Hoffmann, J. E. Sebitosi, A. B. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. UCTD Solar energy Pressurized air receiver Tubular receiver Concentrating solar power Renewable energy Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2020. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Concentrating solar power (CSP) provides a significant advantage over other forms of renewable energy due to its high energy potential and low cost. When CSP central receiver technology is implemented in a combined Brayton-Rankine cycle with thermal energy storage (TES), the overall Bray-ton cycle efficiency can be increased, while allowing for dispatchable energy generation at night or during times of reduced solar radiation. The SUNSPOT cycle consists of a solarized Brayton cycle with a rock bed TES facility which powers a bottoming Rankine cycle. The Spiky Central Receiver Air Pre-heater(SCRAP) is the central receiver concept envisaged for implementation in the SUNSPOT cycle’s solarized Brayton cycle. The receiver would need to provide outlet air temperatures of above 800◦C with a total pressure drop of less than 30 kPa in order to satisfy the cumulative Brayton-Rankine cycle demands.This study sought to investigate the thermal characteristics associated with a single spike of the SCRAP receiver. To this end an experimental receiver approximating a full-scale receiver was designed based on suggestions from a previous study. The experimental receiver was installed at the Helio40 facility at the University of Stellenbosch and tested in on-sun conditions. An experimental setup was designed to capture the key variables required to analyze the spike performance. An investigation to characterize the performance of the heliostat field was also conducted. Through experimental testing, it was found that the irradiation concentration on the spike surface increases exponentially from behind the tip, leading to low irradiation at the front of the spike. It was further found that the exponential growth would cause high heating of the receiver base due to flow separation in the air manifold, limiting the selection of construction materials for a full-scale SCRAP receiver implementation. With an open annulus spike configuration, the receiver was also found to be susceptible to convective losses.Finally, it was found that the coiled fins are effective in increasing the spike’s thermal efficiency by a great margin by virtue of increased heat transfer surface area as well as higher heat transfer coefficients, which result when the coiled ducts impart a centrifugal force to the air flow, moving the flow closer to the spike wall. The coiled ducts would also be effective in equalizing surface temperature variations caused by uneven circumferential irradiation distributions, mitigating the effects of local hotspots. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Raadpleeg teks vir opsomming Masters 2020-11-26T14:55:16Z 2021-01-31T19:44:56Z 2020-11-26T14:55:16Z 2021-01-31T19:44:56Z 2020-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109329 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 128 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle UCTD
Solar energy
Pressurized air receiver
Tubular receiver
Concentrating solar power
Renewable energy
Janse van Vuuren, Renier Johannes
On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title_full On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title_fullStr On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title_full_unstemmed On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title_short On sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater (SCRAP)
title_sort on sun testing of a single spike of the spiky central receiver air preheater scrap
topic UCTD
Solar energy
Pressurized air receiver
Tubular receiver
Concentrating solar power
Renewable energy
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/109329
work_keys_str_mv AT jansevanvuurenrenierjohannes onsuntestingofasinglespikeofthespikycentralreceiverairpreheaterscrap