1. Studies on Suitability of Heat Exchanger to
Solar Receivers for Solar Thermal Power
Applications
D.R.RAJENDRAN
&
R.PACHAIYAPPAN
Asst. Professor/ Mechanical Engg,
Adhiparasakthi Engineering College,
Melmaruvathur - 603 319.
Tamilnadu.

2. INTRODUCTION
Thermal power generation from concentrated Solar Power (CSP)
is based on the solar collector technologies. The important
technologies are
Point focusing (dish or
concentrated) type,
line focusing (trough and
Fresnel) type

3. 
The point focusing or parabolic concentrators need the
receiver with internal cavity absorber and heat transfer system
design with limited length and diameter.
 To improve heat transfer area and convective heat transfer
 To enhance overall heat transfer co efficient by Nano fluid

The line focusing collectors are not limited by its receiver
length with respect to the trough type.
 To increase the heat transfer area with different configuration by
porous discs.
 To improve Nusselt number by turbulence and drag coefficient for
better heat transfer rate.

4. METHODOLOGY
• Literature review for existing models
• Design and fabrication of Shell and Helical tube Heat
exchanger
• Model and Analyze of porous disc line receiver with
CFD
• Simulate the system with different design configurations,
working fluids and materials
• Find the parameters for maximum efficiency

5. LITERATURE REVIEW
Sl.
No
.
Journal
Name
1
Energy
(ELSEVIER)
2
Author(s)
Marthew
Neber ,
Hohyun Lee
Modification /
Material,
Tools used
Observations in
Experiment
Results
Silicon carbide
cylindrical receiver over
coiled heat exchanger
L/D =2
Temperature achieved is 1270 k
and effectiveness 0.82
International
Fuqiang Wang
Journal of
Yong Shuai.
Heat and Mass
Transfer
(ELSEVIER)
Porous Media Receiver
Influence of Heat
flux Radiation
Concentrated direction features of
the focal flux affects the radiation
flux distribution of cavity receiver.
3
Solar Energy
Ramon
Ferreiro
Gareia,
A.Coronal
Internal cavity Structure, Porosity heat
transfer surface for
closed loop and
open loop cycle.
4
Solar Energy
A.Carotenuto , Multi cavity Volumetric
F.Renle
solar Receiver
Emittance and .absorptance
properties are improved,
The Cavity
Energy balance for a control
minimize
volume of air and wall.
convective, radiative Thermal performance is find out.
losses and improve
the radiation
absorption

6. LITERATURE REVIEW CONTD….
Sl.
No
.
Journal
Name
Author (s)
Modification
/ material,
Tools used
5
Renewable
Energy
Y.L.He ,
Z.O. Cheng.
parabolic
The domed quartz window is
concentrator
used to maintain high pressure
with hexagonal inside the pressure vessel.
entrance, domed
quartz window.
The 3-d structure volumetric air
receiver are capable of absorbing
high solar flux operating at
temperature range of 800 to
10000c Pressure of 1,5 Mpa
6
Solar
Energy
X.Daguenet_
Friek
A.Toutant
G.Olalde
The 2-stage
Straight Fins are increase the
absorber with
heat exchange area
divided modules
with SiC
channels with
straight Fins
Increase the heat Transfer coefficient
and
better
mean
temperature is obtained
Janna
Martirek ,
Refractory
material with
insulation.
7
8
Solar
Energy
Applied
M.J.Montes, Tube Receiver
thermal
A.Roviraeval
engineering
Observations in
Experiment
Results
ɳoverall =40 %
Predicted efficiency (ɳth) =32% Calculating the energy emitted by
For small scale level up to 1MW the inner surface of the receiver
Absorbing cavity configuration
solar power .
with 3-5 large tube in semi cirle is
better in thermal performance.
Maintain Uniform Heat Transfer
throughout the receiver.
More uniform temperature are
achieved at the outlet of the all
circuits reducing heating up of
central surface.

7. LITERATURE REVIEW CONTD….
Sl.
No
.
9
Journal
Name
Applied
Energy
Author (s)
Modification
/ material,
Tools used
Observations in
Experiment
Results
Uniform heat flux is applied over
the entire surface of the receiver
which increases the overall heat
transfer co efficient and Nu with
pressure drop.
K.Ravikumar
K.S.Reddy
Porous disc
receiver with
Various
geometry
Heat transfer rate in terms of
Nu convective heat transfer
co-efficient
increased
by
porous medium
10 International R.Kandasamy
journal of
L.Muhaimin
thermal
ev.al
sciences
Cu-nanofluid
over a porous
wedge
Unsteady Hiemeuz flow of Improve receiver performance
Cu-nanofluid in the presence and absorption
of thermal startification , due
to solar energy radiation; Lie
group transformation.
International Fengwu Bai
11 Journal of
Thermal
Sciences
silicon carbide
ceramic foam
The air flow resistance
increases
obviously
with
increasing
air
outlet
temperature
One dimensional analysis of flow
and heat transfer process of
ceramic foams suggest that there
exists an input solar energy flux
limit for the unpressurized
system, which will lead to limit
the power capacity and the outlet
air temperature enhancement.

8. Pictures of Experimental Work
Shell and helical tube heat exchanger
with Ag-H2O Nano HTF

9. Optimization of parameters using
Taguchi analysis
Range of parameters
Sl.No.
Parameters
Parameters Range
1.
2.
3.
Tube side flow rate
Shell side flow rate
Volume Fraction
1-2 lit/min
1-2 lit/min
0.1-0.3 %
Orthogonal array
Sl.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Tube Side Flow
Rate, lpm
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.5
1.5
1.5
2.0
2.0
2.0
Shell Side Flow
Rate, lpm
1.0
1.5
2.0
1.0
1.5
2.0
1.0
1.5
2.0
Volume
Fraction, %
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.1
0.2

10. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Scat t er plot of Over all Heat t r ansf er coef f icient f or var ious f luid medium
Ov e r a ll He a t Tr a n s f e r Co e f f ic ie n t ( Uo )
1500
Variable
Water
Ag-water nanofluid
1250
1000
750
500
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
Mass Flow Rat e (mh)
1.8
2.0

11. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Scat t erp lo t o f Overall h eat t ran sf er co ef f icien t vs mass f lo w rat e o f co ld f lu id
Ov er all Heat T r ansf er Coef f icient ( Uo)
1400
Variable
Mass flow rate of hot fluid= 1 lpm
Mass flow rate of hot fluid= 1.5 lpm
Mass flow rate of hot fluid= 2 lpm
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
800
700
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
Mass f low r at e of cold f luid ( mc)
2.0

12. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Scat t er plot over all heat t r ansf er vs mass f low r at e of hot f lu id
Ov e r a ll He a t Tr a n sf e r Co e f f icie n t ( Uo )
1400
Variable
Volume Fraction = 0.1 %
Volume Fraction = 0.2 %
Volume Fraction = 0.3 %
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
800
700
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
Mass Flow Rat e of Hot Fluid ( mh)
2.0

13. Porous Disc ReceiverSimulation

14. HEAT TRANSFER AND FLUID FLOW
ANALYSIS OF RECEIVER
The following boundary conditions are applied in the receiver model:
Inlet Boundary Conditions.
 The flow is having uniform velocity at atmospheric temperature at the
receiver inlet.
 U = u , T = T = 300K at L = 0, 0 ≤ r ≤ d /2, -90° ≤ θ ≤ 90°
in
f
in
i

Wall boundary conditions:
 No – slip condition exist at inside the pipe wall
u = 0 at r = di/2, -90° ≤ θ ≤ 90°, 0 ≤ L ≤ 2.

A uniform heat flux is applied of the receiver is subjected to
The top half periphery of the receiver is subjected to
q"ut = Ig at r = do/2, 0≤ θ ≤ 90°; 0 ≤ L ≤ 2

15. Heat Transfer And Fluid Flow Analysis

The bottom half periphery of the receiver is subjected to
• q"ub = CR x Ib at r = do/2, -90°≤ θ ≤ 0; 0 ≤ L ≤ 2
• Where CR = Ap/Ar, Ig = 800 W/m², Ib = 600 W/m².
• Zero pressure gradient condition is employed across the
outlet boundary.

The following porous medium parameters are considered for the
analysis:
•
•
Porosity
Permeability
: φ = 0.37;
: Kp = 2.9 x 10-10;
•
Form Coefficient
: F = 0.24;

16. Meshed Receiver With Different
Orientations
Meshed Receiver with Full Porous Disc
Meshed Receiver with Top half porous disc
Meshed Receiver with Bottom half Porous disc
Meshed Receiver with Alternate Half
Porous disc

17. Results And Discussions For Porous
Disc Receiver

18. Results And Discussions For Porous
Disc Receiver

19. Results And Discussions For Porous
Disc Receiver

20. CONCLUSION



The study found that the use of Nano fluid (Ag +water )
instead of water as a heat transfer fluid increases the
overall heat transfer coefficient .
Increasing the shell side flow rate(water) and helical
tube (Nano fluid) side flow rate to 2 lpm and 1.5 lpm
respectively increased the overall heat transfer
coefficient to 1383.905 w/m2k
The volume fraction of the Nano material in the mixture
is 0.1% for maximum heat transfer coefficient.

21. 
In the numerical investigation of silicon carbide (SiC)
porous disc line receiver found that, the maximum heat
transfer was in top half and then, in alternate of top
and bottom half discs, which are increasing the heat
transfer area, thermal conductivity and turbulence.

The study also explored that the Nusselt number for
porous disc receiver is higher than that the tubular
receiver for all the Reynolds number in this study.

The increase of the Nusselt number increases the
overall heat transfer coefficient.

22. REFERENCE





Qi Li, Gilles Flamant, Xigang Yuan, Pierre Neveu, Lingai Luo,(2011) compact
heat exchangers :A review and future applications for a new generation of high
temperature solar receivers, International Journal of Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews, 15, pp. 4855-4875.
Matthew Neber, Hohyun Lee, (2012) Design of a high temperature cavity receiver
for residential scale concentrated solar power, International Journal of Energy, 47,
pp. 481-487.
Kandasamy.R, Muhaimin.I, Azme B.Khamis, Rozaini bin Roslan(2013) Unsteady
hiemenz flow of Cu- nanofluid over a porous wedge in the presence of thermal
stratification due to solar energy radiation: Lie group transformation, International
Journal of Thermal sciences, 65, pp. 196-205.
Buongiorno, (2006) Convective transport in Nano fluid, International Journal of
Heat Transfer, 128, pp. 240-250.
Ravi Kumar. K, Reddy.K.S, (2009) Thermal analysis of solar parabolic trough
with porous disc receiver, International Journal of Solar Energy, 86, pp. 18041812.

23. REFERENCE Cont….





Daguenet-Frick.X, Toutant. A, Bataille.F, Olalde.G, (2013) Numerical
investigation of a ceramic high-tempe rature pressurized-air solar receiver,
International Journal of Solar Energy, 90, pp. 164-178.
Janna Martinek, Alan W.Weimer, (2013) Design considerations for a multiple
tube solar reactor, International Journal of Solar Energy, 90, pp. 68-83.
Fuqiang Wang, Yong Shuai , Heping Tan , Chunliang Yu (2013) Thermal
performance analysis of porous media receiver with concentrated solar irradiation,
International Journal of Heat and mass Transfer, 62, pp. 247-254.
He.Y.L, Cheng. Z.D, Cui. F.Q, Li. Z.Y, Li. D,(2012) Numerical investigations on
a pressurized volumetric receiver: Solar concentrating and collecting modelling,
International Journal of Renewable Energy, 44, pp. 368-379.
Carotenuto A, Reale F, Ruocco G, Nocera U and Bonomo F (1993) Thermal
behaviour of a multi-cavity volumetric solar receiver: Design and Tests result,
Solar energy, 50, pp.113-121.

24. PLEASE….any