Studies on Suitability of Heat Exchangers for Solar Receivers-Experimental Simulation and Numerical Investigation

The development of efficient solar receivers for different types of solar collectors such as point focusing, line focusing and external towers have received major attention in solar thermal power conversion process. The point focusing or parabolic concentrators need the receiver with internal cavity absorber and heat transfer system design with limited length and diameter. The line focusing collectors are not limited by its receiver length with respect to the trough. In this regard an experimental simulation was carried out to enhance the overall heat transfer coefficient by effective design of shell and helical tube heat exchanger using silver (Ag) Nano particles with water as Heat Transfer Fluid (HTF), which reduces the length of the receiver in point focusing collector. The line focusing collector was analysed by 3D numerical model with porous discs of top half, bottom half, combination of top & bottom half and full shape with silicon carbide ceramic foam as a material to evaluate the performance of the receiver to suit for line focusing collectors. The results obtained with porous disc are compared with plain tube line receiver.