NUMERICAL THERMAL ANALYSIS OF SCHOTT 2008 PTR70 SOLAR RECEIVER UNDER HASSI R’MEL POWER PLANT OPERATION CONDITIONS

Abstract

The paper presents a numerical thermal analysis concerning the operation of the solar receiver Schott PTR-70 under the running conditions of Hassi R’Mel power plant. The analysis is based on numerical resolution by finite difference method of a 1D transient modelling of heat transfer balances taking place in the receiver. At first, a modelling validation against experimentally determined correlations issued from NREL facility tests is given. The comparison and confirmation are in terms of thermal efficiency and linear heat loss of the receiver versus HTF average temperature. Then, a discussion is developed about how the production of hot HTF (392°C) varies versus DNI intensity for four typical days each representative of a season? Afterwards, it is concluded that the enhancement of heat convective transfer between the absorber and the HTF would have no positive effect on HTF mass flow rate.

Keywords

• Hassi R’Mel power plant
• Schott PTR-70 solar receiver
• Thermal 1D transient modelling
• ASHRAE DNI Model
• Receiver operation under transient conditions.