A volumetric solar receiver for superheating evaporated sulfuric acid is developed as part of a 100 kW pilot plant for the hybrid sulfur (HyS) cycle. The receiver, which uses silicon carbide foam as a heat transfer medium, heats evaporated sulfuric acid using concentrated solar energy to temperatures of 1000 °C or greater, which are required for the downstream catalytic reaction to split sulfur trioxide into oxygen and sulfur dioxide. Multiple parallel approaches for modeling and analysis of the receiver are used to design the prototype. Focused numerical modeling and thermodynamic analysis are applied to answer individual design and performance questions. Numerical simulations focused on fluid flow are used to determine the best arrangement of inlets, while thermodynamic analysis is used to evaluate the optimal dimensions and operating parameters. Finally, a numerical fluid mechanics and heat transfer model is used to predict the temperature field within the receiver. Important lessons from the modeling efforts are given, and their impacts on the design of a prototype are discussed.
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August 2016
Research-Article
Modeling of a Solar Receiver for Superheating Sulfuric Acid
Christian Sattler
Christian Sattler
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Justin L. Lapp
Alejandro Guerra-Niehoff
Hans-Peter Streber
Dennis Thomey
Martin Roeb
Christian Sattler
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING: INCLUDING WIND ENERGY AND BUILDING ENERGY CONSERVATION. Manuscript received August 27, 2015; final manuscript received April 8, 2016; published online June 14, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Wojciech Lipinski.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. Aug 2016, 138(4): 041013 (10 pages)
Published Online: June 14, 2016
Article history
Received:
August 27, 2015
Revised:
April 8, 2016
Citation
Lapp, J. L., Guerra-Niehoff, A., Streber, H., Thomey, D., Roeb, M., and Sattler, C. (June 14, 2016). "Modeling of a Solar Receiver for Superheating Sulfuric Acid." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. August 2016; 138(4): 041013. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4033594
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