AEETES - A SOLAR REFLUX RECEIVER THERMAL PERFORMANCE NUMERICAL-MODEL

Reflux solar receivers for dish-Stirling electric power generation systems are currently being investigated by several companies and laboratories. In support of these efforts, the AEETES thermal performance numerical model has been developed to predict thermal performance of pool-boiler and heat-pipe reflux receivers. The formulation of the AEETES numerical model, which is applicable to axisymmetric geometries with asymmetric incident fluxes, is presented in detail. Thermal efficiency predictions agree to within 4.1% with test data from on-sun tests of a pool-boiler reflux receiver Predicted absorber and sidewall temperatures agree with thermocouple data to within 3.3 and 7.3%, respectively. The importance of accounting for the asymmetric incident fluxes is demonstrated in comparisons with predictions using azimuthally averaged variables. The predicted receiver heat losses are characteriZed in terms of convective, solar radiative, and infrared radiative, and conductive heat transfer mechanisms.