A porous, packed bed, volumetric solar collector consisting of two dissimilar layers of spherical beads is numerically modeled. The bed is irradiated on the top surface by concentrated solar flux isotropic within a known cone angle. A gas stream perfusing the bed is heated by convection with the solid particles. The equation of radiative transfer, which accounts for absorption, emission, and linearly anisotropic scattering in the bed, is simplified by employing the P1 differential approximation. The bed materials are spectrally selective in the solar and infrared wavelengths. Sensitivity studies are used to identify the critical input parameters of the system, and a baseline configuration, which incorporates the key requirements of an efficient solar collector, is adopted. Parametric studies are conducted on the mass flow rate, incident solar flux, top layer porosity, solar absorptivity, particle diameter, and degree of back scatter. Tailoring of the particle and fluid temperature profiles and enhancing the efficiency of the collector by an appropriate selection of these critical parameters is demonstrated. Various high-temperature ceramics with suitable radiative properties are identified and their relative performance in the collector is assessed.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
August 1992
Research Papers
Parametric Studies of a Spectrally Selective, Two-Layered, Porous, Volumetric Solar Collector
D. A. Kaminski,
D. A. Kaminski
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Kar
S. Kar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590
Search for other works by this author on:
D. A. Kaminski
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590
S. Kar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Aug 1992, 114(3): 150-156 (7 pages)
Published Online: August 1, 1992
Article history
Received:
January 1, 1991
Revised:
March 1, 1992
Online:
June 6, 2008
Citation
Kaminski, D. A., and Kar, S. (August 1, 1992). "Parametric Studies of a Spectrally Selective, Two-Layered, Porous, Volumetric Solar Collector." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. August 1992; 114(3): 150–156. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2929998
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Mass Flow Control Strategy for Maximum Energy Extraction in Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
J. Sol. Energy Eng (December 2025)
Related Articles
Tomography-Based Heat and Mass Transfer Characterization of Reticulate Porous Ceramics for High-Temperature Processing
J. Heat Transfer (February,2010)
Experimental
Determination of Spectral Transmittance of Porous Cerium Dioxide in the Range 900–1700
nm
J. Heat Transfer (October,2011)
Tomography-Based Analysis of Radiative Transfer in Reacting Packed Beds Undergoing a Solid-Gas Thermochemical Transformation
J. Heat Transfer (June,2010)
Radiative Heat Transfer Analysis in Plasmonic Nanofluids for Direct Solar Thermal Absorption
J. Sol. Energy Eng (May,2012)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
The MCRT Method for Participating Media
The Monte Carlo Ray-Trace Method in Radiation Heat Transfer and Applied Optics
Short-Pulse Collimated Radiation in a Participating Medium Bounded by Diffusely Reflecting Boundaries
International Conference on Mechanical and Electrical Technology, 3rd, (ICMET-China 2011), Volumes 1–3
Radiation
Thermal Management of Microelectronic Equipment