Turbo-assisted direct solar air heater for medium temperature industrial processes using Linear Fresnel Collectors. Assessment on daily and yearly basis Articles uri icon

published in

publication date

  • May 2021

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 17

issue

  • 120011

volume

  • 223

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0360-5442

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1873-6785

abstract

  • The study analyzes an innovative concentrating solar thermal system aimed at the direct production of hot air for industrial applications. Air is heated inside linear Fresnel collectors in an open to atmosphere circuit, not requiring the use of a primary heat transfer fluid and a heat exchanger, with their associated cost and maintenance. Matching an automotive turbocharger with the solar field avoids auxiliary energy consumption for pumping the airflow. The detailed quasi-steady numerical model implemented, including commercial collector and turbocharger technical features, allows to scrutinize the daily and yearly operating time profile of a medium scale plant with a 633.6 m2 solar field. Considering the typical meteorological year of the selected location (Madrid, Spain), the numerical results indicate that hot air is provided at a remarkable quasi-constant temperature between 300 degrees C and 400 degrees C despite the solar variations, delivering 330 MW h per year without overheating the receiver evacuated tubes.

subjects

  • Industrial Engineering
  • Renewable Energies

keywords

  • direct solar air heating; industrial drying; linear fresnel collectors; solar brayton cycle; solar heat for industrial processes