Thermal Performance Analysis of Non-Vacuum Receivers for Linear Fresnel Systems: CFD Modelling Versus Experimental Insights

Abstract

Optimizing the performance of The Linear Fresnel CSP system typically relies on two complementary approaches. The first involves analyzing the optical interactions between solar radiation and the system's various components. This analysis is then coupled with a thermal modelling to assess the overall performance of the installation. In this study, numerical simulations of heat transfer within the air cavity were performed to develop a tool for evaluating thermal losses and optimizing the receiver design. We present a methodology for measuring the system's overall performance by combining the Monte Carlo Ray-Tracing method with a CFD approach. The optical analysis is carried out using the OPSOL ray-tracing code, while the thermal analysis is conducted with ANSYS-Fluent software. It is concluded that the proposed methodology serves as an effective substitute for experimental approaches in characterizing the receiver's thermal performance.