A parabolic trough solar collector(PTSC)converts solar radiation into thermal energy.However,low thermal efficiency of PTSC poses a hindrance to the deployment of solar thermal power plants.Thermal performance of PTSC...A parabolic trough solar collector(PTSC)converts solar radiation into thermal energy.However,low thermal efficiency of PTSC poses a hindrance to the deployment of solar thermal power plants.Thermal performance of PTSC is enhanced in this study by incorporating magnetic nanoparticles into the working fluid.The circular receiver pipe,with dimensions of 66 mm diameter,2 mm thickness,and 24 m length,is exposed to uniform temperature and velocity conditions.The working fluid,Therminol-66,is supplemented with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles at concentrations ranging from 1%to 4%.The findings demonstrate that the inclusion of nanoparticles increases the convective heat transfer coefficient(HTC)of the PTSC,with higher nanoparticle volume fractions leading to greater heat transfer but increased pressure drop.The thermal enhancement factor(TEF)of the PTSC is positively affected by the volume fraction of nanoparticles,both with and without a magnetic field.Notably,the scenario with a 4%nanoparticle volume fraction and a magnetic field strength of 250 G exhibits the highest TEF,indicating superior thermal performance.These findings offer potential avenues for improving the efficiency of PTSCs in solar thermal plants by introducing magnetic nanoparticles into the working fluid.展开更多
Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are employed for a variety of applications including steam generation and hot water generation. This paper deals with the experimental results and an economic analysis of a new fibre...Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are employed for a variety of applications including steam generation and hot water generation. This paper deals with the experimental results and an economic analysis of a new fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) based solar PTC with an embedded electronic controlled tracking system designed and developed for hot water generation in a restaurant in Madurai, India. The new collector performance has been tested according to ASHRAE Standard 93 (1986). The performance of a new PTC hot water generation system with a well mixed hot water storage tank is investigated by a series of extensive tests over ten months period. The average maximum storage tank water temperature observed was 74.91 °C, when no energy is withdrawn from the tank to the load during the collection period. The total cost of the new economic FRP based solar PTC for hot water generation with an embedded electronic controlled tracking system is Rs. 25000 (US$ 573) only. In the present work, life cycle savings (LCS) method is employed for a detailed economic analysis of the PTC system. A computer program is used as a tool for the economic analysis. The present worth of life cycle solar savings is evaluated for the new solar PTC hot water generation system that replaces an existing electric water heating system in the restaurant and attains a value of Rs. 23171.66 after 15 years, which is a significant saving. The LCS method and the MATLAB computer simulation program presented in this paper can be used to estimate the LCS of other renewable energy systems.展开更多
Concentrating Solar Power(CSP)plants offer a promising way to generate low-emission energy.However,these plants face challenges such as reduced sunlight during winter and cloudy days,despite being located in high sola...Concentrating Solar Power(CSP)plants offer a promising way to generate low-emission energy.However,these plants face challenges such as reduced sunlight during winter and cloudy days,despite being located in high solar radiation areas.Furthermore,their dispatch capacities and yields can be affected by high electricity consumption,particularly at night.The present work aims to develop an off-design model that evaluates the hourly and annual performances of a parabolic trough power plant(PTPP)equipped with a waste heat recovery system.The study aims to compare the performances of this new layout with those of the conventional Andasol 1 plant,with the aim of assessing the improvements achieved in the new design.Based on the results,it can be concluded that the new layout has increased the annual generated power to almost 183 GWh(an increase of about 7.60% is achieved compared to the Andasol 1 layout that generates 169 GWh annually).Additionally,the proposed installation has achieved an efficiency of 20.55%,which represents a 7.87% increase compared to the previous design(19.05%).The Levelized Cost of Electricity(LCOE)of the new layout has been reduced by more than 5.8% compared to the Andasol 1 plant.Specifically,it has decreased from 13.11 to 12.35 c/kWh.This reduction in LCOE highlights the improved cost-effectiveness of the newlayout,making it amore economically viable option for generating electricity compared to the conventional Andasol 1 plant.展开更多
This work presents an algorithm able to simulate the heating of a solar collector throughout the day. The discussed collector is part of a solar adsorption refrigerator, and is used to regenerate the activated carbon ...This work presents an algorithm able to simulate the heating of a solar collector throughout the day. The discussed collector is part of a solar adsorption refrigerator, and is used to regenerate the activated carbon contained inside a cylindrical recipient (absorber), which is located in the focal line of a parabolic trough concentrator. The developed algorithm takes into account all the transfer mechanisms when analyzing the heat transfers taking place between the collector’s components and the environment, as well as the transfer mechanisms towards the absorber’s interior. The temperature evolution for the collector’s elements is obtained, and the model is validated by comparing the experimentally measured surface temperature of the absorber with the one determined by the algorithm. The experimental data were gathered from similar collectors in two different scenarios: Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The model is satisfactorily validated with experimental data.展开更多
Designing highly-efficient parabolic trough receiver(PTR)contributes to promoting solar thermal utilization and alleviating energy crisis and environmental problems.A novel finned PTR with inner tube(FPTR-IT),which ca...Designing highly-efficient parabolic trough receiver(PTR)contributes to promoting solar thermal utilization and alleviating energy crisis and environmental problems.A novel finned PTR with inner tube(FPTR-IT),which can provide different grades of thermal energy with two heat transfer fluids(oil and water),is designed to improve thermal efficiency.In this FPTR-IT,an inner tube and straight fins are employed to respectively lessen heat loss at upper and lower parts of the absorber.Based on the design,a numerical model is developed to investigate its performance.Comparisons with other PTRs indicate that the FPTR-IT can combine the advantages of PTR with inner tube and finned PTR and obtain the best performance.Moreover,performance evaluation under broad ranges of direct normal irradiances(300–1000 W/m^(2)),flow rates(50–250 L/min)and inlet temperatures(400–600 K)of oil as well as flow rates(3.6–10 L/min)and inlet temperatures(298.15–318.15 K)of water is investigated.Compared with conventional PTR,heat loss is reduced by 20.7%–63.2%and total efficiency is improved by 0.03%–4.27%.Furthermore,the proportions of heat gains for water and oil are located in 8.3%–73.9%and-12.0%–64.3%,while their temperature gains are located in 11.6–37.9 K and-1.2–19.6 K,respectively.Thus,the proposed FPTR-IT may have a promising application prospect in remote arid areas or islands to provide different grades of heat for electricity and freshwater production.展开更多
Developing solar thermal power technology in an effective manner is a great challenge in China.In this paper an experiment platform of a parabolic trough solar collector system(PTCS) was developed for thermal power ge...Developing solar thermal power technology in an effective manner is a great challenge in China.In this paper an experiment platform of a parabolic trough solar collector system(PTCS) was developed for thermal power generation,and the performance of the PTCS was experimentally investigated with synthetic oil as the circulate heat transfer fluid(HTF).The solar collector's efficiency with the variation of the solar flux and the flow rate of the HTF was identified.The collector efficiency of the PTCS can be in the range of 40%-60%.It was also found that there existed a specified delay for the temperature of the HTF to response to the solar flux,which played a significant role in designing the PTCS.The heat loss effect on collector efficiency was also studied,which was about 220 W/m for the receiver with a 180°C temperature difference between the collector temperature and the ambient temperature,amounting to about 10% of the total solar energy incident on the collector.The encouraging results can provide fundamental data for developing the parabolic trough solar thermal power plant in China.展开更多
In the present review,parabolic trough collector(PTC)and linear Fresnel reflector(LFR)are comprehensively and comparatively reviewed in terms of historical background,technological features,recent advancement,economic...In the present review,parabolic trough collector(PTC)and linear Fresnel reflector(LFR)are comprehensively and comparatively reviewed in terms of historical background,technological features,recent advancement,economic analysis and application areas.It is found that although PTC and LFR are both classified as mainstream line-focus concentrating solar thermal(CST)technologies,they are now standing at different stages of development and facing their individual opportunities and challenges.For PTC,the development is commercially mature with steady and reliable performance;therefore,extension of application is the main future demand.For LFR,the development is still in rapid progress to commercial maturity,yet indicating very promising potentials with high flexibility in novel designs and remarkable reduction in capital and operational costs.The question,which has to be answered in order to estimate the future perspectives of these two line-focus CST technologies,becomes which of these characteristics carries more weight or how to reach an optimal trade-off between them.展开更多
As a core element in solar parabolic trough collector, the evaluated receiver often runs under severe thermal conditions. Worse still, the transient thermal load is more likely to cause structural deformation and dama...As a core element in solar parabolic trough collector, the evaluated receiver often runs under severe thermal conditions. Worse still, the transient thermal load is more likely to cause structural deformation and damage. This work develops an efficient transient multi-level multi-dimensional(M2) analysis method to address photo-thermal-elastic problems, thereby estimating transient thermal load and deformation for the receiver:(i) one-dimensional(1-D) thermo-hydraulic model is adopted to determine the transient thermo-hydraulic state,(ii) 3-D finite volume method(FVM) model for the receiver tube is established to obtain the real-time temperature distribution,(iii) 3-D finite element method(FEM) model is employed to make thermoelastic analysis. Based on this M2 method, the typical transient cases are conducted in cold-start, disturbed-operation and regulatedprocess. Three indicators(average temperature of the wall(ATW), radial temperature difference(RTD), circumferential temperature difference(CTD)) are defined for overall analysis of the receiver thermal load. It is found that in the transient process,receivers face response delay and endure significant thermal load fluctuation. The response time for a single HCE(heat collecting element) under lower mass flow rate(1.5 kg s-1) could sustain 280 s. During the cold-start stage(DNI=200 W m-2 to 800 W m-2), the maximum value of CTD in receiver is as high as 11.67℃, corresponding to a maximum deflection of 1.05 cm.When the mass flow rate decreases sharply by 80%, the CTD reaches 33.04℃, causing a 2.06-cm deflection. It should be pointed out that in the cold-start stage and the lower mass flow rate operation for solar parabolic trough collector, alleviating the transient thermal load and deformation is of importance for safely and efficiently running evaluated receiver.展开更多
In this paper, the heat transfer enhancement in a solar parabolic trough receiver tube with porous insert and non-uniform heat flux condition was investigated. A new optimization method, which couples genetic algorith...In this paper, the heat transfer enhancement in a solar parabolic trough receiver tube with porous insert and non-uniform heat flux condition was investigated. A new optimization method, which couples genetic algorithm(GA) and computational fluid dynamics(CFD) based on Socket communication, was proposed to optimize the configuration of porous insert. After the acquisition of the optimal porous inserts, some performance evaluation criterions such as synergy angle, entransy dissipation and exergy loss were introduced to discuss the heat transfer performance of the enhanced receiver tubes(ERTs) with optimal and referenced porous inserts. The results showed that, for a large range of properties of porous insert(including porosity and thermal conductivity) and Reynolds number, the heat-transfer performance of ERT with porous insert optimized by GA is always higher than that of the referenced ERTs. Better heat-transfer performance can further improve the solar-to-thermal energy conversion efficiency and mechanical property of the solar parabolic trough receiver. When some porous materials with high thermal conductivity are adopted, ERT can simultaneously obtain perfect thermal and thermo-hydraulic performance by using the same optimized porous insert, which cannot be achieved by using the referenced porous insert. In the view of those introduced evaluation criterions, using the optimized porous insert can obtain better synergy performance and lesser irreversibility of heat transfer than using the referenced porous insert. Entransy dissipation per unit energy transferred and exergy loss rate have equivalent effects on the evaluation of irreversibility of heat transfer process. These evaluation criterions can be used as optimization goals for enhancing the comprehensive performance of the solar parabolic trough receiver.展开更多
This paper proposes a comprehensive thermodynamic and economic model to predict and compare the performance of concentrated solar power plants with traditional and novel receivers with different configurations involvi...This paper proposes a comprehensive thermodynamic and economic model to predict and compare the performance of concentrated solar power plants with traditional and novel receivers with different configurations involving operating temperatures and locations.The simulation results reveal that power plants with novel receivers exhibit a superior thermodynamic and economic performance compared with traditional receivers.The annual electricity productions of power plants with novel receivers in Phoenix,Sevilla,and Tuotuohe are 8.5%,10.5%,and 14.4%higher than those with traditional receivers at the outlet temperature of 550℃.The levelized cost of electricity of power plants with double-selectivecoated receivers can be decreased by 6.9%,8.5%,and 11.6%.In Phoenix,the optimal operating temperature of the power plants is improved from 500℃to 560℃by employing a novel receiver.Furthermore,the sensitivity analysis of the receiver heat loss,solar absorption,and freeze protection temperature is also conducted to analyze the general rule of influence of the receiver performance on power plants performance.Solar absorption has a positive contribution to annual electricity productions,whereas heat loss and freeze protection temperature have a negative effect on electricity outputs.The results indicate that the novel receiver coupled with low melting temperature molten salt is the best configuration for improving the overall performance of the power plants.展开更多
文摘A parabolic trough solar collector(PTSC)converts solar radiation into thermal energy.However,low thermal efficiency of PTSC poses a hindrance to the deployment of solar thermal power plants.Thermal performance of PTSC is enhanced in this study by incorporating magnetic nanoparticles into the working fluid.The circular receiver pipe,with dimensions of 66 mm diameter,2 mm thickness,and 24 m length,is exposed to uniform temperature and velocity conditions.The working fluid,Therminol-66,is supplemented with Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles at concentrations ranging from 1%to 4%.The findings demonstrate that the inclusion of nanoparticles increases the convective heat transfer coefficient(HTC)of the PTSC,with higher nanoparticle volume fractions leading to greater heat transfer but increased pressure drop.The thermal enhancement factor(TEF)of the PTSC is positively affected by the volume fraction of nanoparticles,both with and without a magnetic field.Notably,the scenario with a 4%nanoparticle volume fraction and a magnetic field strength of 250 G exhibits the highest TEF,indicating superior thermal performance.These findings offer potential avenues for improving the efficiency of PTSCs in solar thermal plants by introducing magnetic nanoparticles into the working fluid.
文摘Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) are employed for a variety of applications including steam generation and hot water generation. This paper deals with the experimental results and an economic analysis of a new fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) based solar PTC with an embedded electronic controlled tracking system designed and developed for hot water generation in a restaurant in Madurai, India. The new collector performance has been tested according to ASHRAE Standard 93 (1986). The performance of a new PTC hot water generation system with a well mixed hot water storage tank is investigated by a series of extensive tests over ten months period. The average maximum storage tank water temperature observed was 74.91 °C, when no energy is withdrawn from the tank to the load during the collection period. The total cost of the new economic FRP based solar PTC for hot water generation with an embedded electronic controlled tracking system is Rs. 25000 (US$ 573) only. In the present work, life cycle savings (LCS) method is employed for a detailed economic analysis of the PTC system. A computer program is used as a tool for the economic analysis. The present worth of life cycle solar savings is evaluated for the new solar PTC hot water generation system that replaces an existing electric water heating system in the restaurant and attains a value of Rs. 23171.66 after 15 years, which is a significant saving. The LCS method and the MATLAB computer simulation program presented in this paper can be used to estimate the LCS of other renewable energy systems.
文摘Concentrating Solar Power(CSP)plants offer a promising way to generate low-emission energy.However,these plants face challenges such as reduced sunlight during winter and cloudy days,despite being located in high solar radiation areas.Furthermore,their dispatch capacities and yields can be affected by high electricity consumption,particularly at night.The present work aims to develop an off-design model that evaluates the hourly and annual performances of a parabolic trough power plant(PTPP)equipped with a waste heat recovery system.The study aims to compare the performances of this new layout with those of the conventional Andasol 1 plant,with the aim of assessing the improvements achieved in the new design.Based on the results,it can be concluded that the new layout has increased the annual generated power to almost 183 GWh(an increase of about 7.60% is achieved compared to the Andasol 1 layout that generates 169 GWh annually).Additionally,the proposed installation has achieved an efficiency of 20.55%,which represents a 7.87% increase compared to the previous design(19.05%).The Levelized Cost of Electricity(LCOE)of the new layout has been reduced by more than 5.8% compared to the Andasol 1 plant.Specifically,it has decreased from 13.11 to 12.35 c/kWh.This reduction in LCOE highlights the improved cost-effectiveness of the newlayout,making it amore economically viable option for generating electricity compared to the conventional Andasol 1 plant.
文摘This work presents an algorithm able to simulate the heating of a solar collector throughout the day. The discussed collector is part of a solar adsorption refrigerator, and is used to regenerate the activated carbon contained inside a cylindrical recipient (absorber), which is located in the focal line of a parabolic trough concentrator. The developed algorithm takes into account all the transfer mechanisms when analyzing the heat transfers taking place between the collector’s components and the environment, as well as the transfer mechanisms towards the absorber’s interior. The temperature evolution for the collector’s elements is obtained, and the model is validated by comparing the experimentally measured surface temperature of the absorber with the one determined by the algorithm. The experimental data were gathered from similar collectors in two different scenarios: Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) and Buenos Aires (Argentina). The model is satisfactorily validated with experimental data.
基金supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2020M672344)。
文摘Designing highly-efficient parabolic trough receiver(PTR)contributes to promoting solar thermal utilization and alleviating energy crisis and environmental problems.A novel finned PTR with inner tube(FPTR-IT),which can provide different grades of thermal energy with two heat transfer fluids(oil and water),is designed to improve thermal efficiency.In this FPTR-IT,an inner tube and straight fins are employed to respectively lessen heat loss at upper and lower parts of the absorber.Based on the design,a numerical model is developed to investigate its performance.Comparisons with other PTRs indicate that the FPTR-IT can combine the advantages of PTR with inner tube and finned PTR and obtain the best performance.Moreover,performance evaluation under broad ranges of direct normal irradiances(300–1000 W/m^(2)),flow rates(50–250 L/min)and inlet temperatures(400–600 K)of oil as well as flow rates(3.6–10 L/min)and inlet temperatures(298.15–318.15 K)of water is investigated.Compared with conventional PTR,heat loss is reduced by 20.7%–63.2%and total efficiency is improved by 0.03%–4.27%.Furthermore,the proportions of heat gains for water and oil are located in 8.3%–73.9%and-12.0%–64.3%,while their temperature gains are located in 11.6–37.9 K and-1.2–19.6 K,respectively.Thus,the proposed FPTR-IT may have a promising application prospect in remote arid areas or islands to provide different grades of heat for electricity and freshwater production.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 50836005,50906086)the National Basic Research Program of China ("973" Program) (Grant No. 2010CB227301)
文摘Developing solar thermal power technology in an effective manner is a great challenge in China.In this paper an experiment platform of a parabolic trough solar collector system(PTCS) was developed for thermal power generation,and the performance of the PTCS was experimentally investigated with synthetic oil as the circulate heat transfer fluid(HTF).The solar collector's efficiency with the variation of the solar flux and the flow rate of the HTF was identified.The collector efficiency of the PTCS can be in the range of 40%-60%.It was also found that there existed a specified delay for the temperature of the HTF to response to the solar flux,which played a significant role in designing the PTCS.The heat loss effect on collector efficiency was also studied,which was about 220 W/m for the receiver with a 180°C temperature difference between the collector temperature and the ambient temperature,amounting to about 10% of the total solar energy incident on the collector.The encouraging results can provide fundamental data for developing the parabolic trough solar thermal power plant in China.
基金The present work is financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(51776196)the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province(2020JM-048)+2 种基金the Shaanxi Creative Talents Promotion Plan-Technological Innovation Team(2019TD-039)the Foshan Xianhu Laboratory of the Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory(XHD2020-001)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘In the present review,parabolic trough collector(PTC)and linear Fresnel reflector(LFR)are comprehensively and comparatively reviewed in terms of historical background,technological features,recent advancement,economic analysis and application areas.It is found that although PTC and LFR are both classified as mainstream line-focus concentrating solar thermal(CST)technologies,they are now standing at different stages of development and facing their individual opportunities and challenges.For PTC,the development is commercially mature with steady and reliable performance;therefore,extension of application is the main future demand.For LFR,the development is still in rapid progress to commercial maturity,yet indicating very promising potentials with high flexibility in novel designs and remarkable reduction in capital and operational costs.The question,which has to be answered in order to estimate the future perspectives of these two line-focus CST technologies,becomes which of these characteristics carries more weight or how to reach an optimal trade-off between them.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51776156)the Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51436007)+1 种基金111 Project (Grant No.B16038)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No. xjj2018195)。
文摘As a core element in solar parabolic trough collector, the evaluated receiver often runs under severe thermal conditions. Worse still, the transient thermal load is more likely to cause structural deformation and damage. This work develops an efficient transient multi-level multi-dimensional(M2) analysis method to address photo-thermal-elastic problems, thereby estimating transient thermal load and deformation for the receiver:(i) one-dimensional(1-D) thermo-hydraulic model is adopted to determine the transient thermo-hydraulic state,(ii) 3-D finite volume method(FVM) model for the receiver tube is established to obtain the real-time temperature distribution,(iii) 3-D finite element method(FEM) model is employed to make thermoelastic analysis. Based on this M2 method, the typical transient cases are conducted in cold-start, disturbed-operation and regulatedprocess. Three indicators(average temperature of the wall(ATW), radial temperature difference(RTD), circumferential temperature difference(CTD)) are defined for overall analysis of the receiver thermal load. It is found that in the transient process,receivers face response delay and endure significant thermal load fluctuation. The response time for a single HCE(heat collecting element) under lower mass flow rate(1.5 kg s-1) could sustain 280 s. During the cold-start stage(DNI=200 W m-2 to 800 W m-2), the maximum value of CTD in receiver is as high as 11.67℃, corresponding to a maximum deflection of 1.05 cm.When the mass flow rate decreases sharply by 80%, the CTD reaches 33.04℃, causing a 2.06-cm deflection. It should be pointed out that in the cold-start stage and the lower mass flow rate operation for solar parabolic trough collector, alleviating the transient thermal load and deformation is of importance for safely and efficiently running evaluated receiver.
基金supported by the Key Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51436007)the Major Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51590902)
文摘In this paper, the heat transfer enhancement in a solar parabolic trough receiver tube with porous insert and non-uniform heat flux condition was investigated. A new optimization method, which couples genetic algorithm(GA) and computational fluid dynamics(CFD) based on Socket communication, was proposed to optimize the configuration of porous insert. After the acquisition of the optimal porous inserts, some performance evaluation criterions such as synergy angle, entransy dissipation and exergy loss were introduced to discuss the heat transfer performance of the enhanced receiver tubes(ERTs) with optimal and referenced porous inserts. The results showed that, for a large range of properties of porous insert(including porosity and thermal conductivity) and Reynolds number, the heat-transfer performance of ERT with porous insert optimized by GA is always higher than that of the referenced ERTs. Better heat-transfer performance can further improve the solar-to-thermal energy conversion efficiency and mechanical property of the solar parabolic trough receiver. When some porous materials with high thermal conductivity are adopted, ERT can simultaneously obtain perfect thermal and thermo-hydraulic performance by using the same optimized porous insert, which cannot be achieved by using the referenced porous insert. In the view of those introduced evaluation criterions, using the optimized porous insert can obtain better synergy performance and lesser irreversibility of heat transfer than using the referenced porous insert. Entransy dissipation per unit energy transferred and exergy loss rate have equivalent effects on the evaluation of irreversibility of heat transfer process. These evaluation criterions can be used as optimization goals for enhancing the comprehensive performance of the solar parabolic trough receiver.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51776193 and 5171101721)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.WK6030000133).
文摘This paper proposes a comprehensive thermodynamic and economic model to predict and compare the performance of concentrated solar power plants with traditional and novel receivers with different configurations involving operating temperatures and locations.The simulation results reveal that power plants with novel receivers exhibit a superior thermodynamic and economic performance compared with traditional receivers.The annual electricity productions of power plants with novel receivers in Phoenix,Sevilla,and Tuotuohe are 8.5%,10.5%,and 14.4%higher than those with traditional receivers at the outlet temperature of 550℃.The levelized cost of electricity of power plants with double-selectivecoated receivers can be decreased by 6.9%,8.5%,and 11.6%.In Phoenix,the optimal operating temperature of the power plants is improved from 500℃to 560℃by employing a novel receiver.Furthermore,the sensitivity analysis of the receiver heat loss,solar absorption,and freeze protection temperature is also conducted to analyze the general rule of influence of the receiver performance on power plants performance.Solar absorption has a positive contribution to annual electricity productions,whereas heat loss and freeze protection temperature have a negative effect on electricity outputs.The results indicate that the novel receiver coupled with low melting temperature molten salt is the best configuration for improving the overall performance of the power plants.
