Chapter 4 - Fluid flow and heat transfer of solar chimney power plant

Abstract

Numerical simulations on air flow, heat transfer, and power output characteristics of a solar chimney power plant model with an energy storage layer and a turbine similar to the Spanish prototype were carried out in this chapter, and a mathematical model of flow and heat transfer for the Solar Chimney Power Plant System (SCPPS) was established. The influences of solar radiation and pressure drop across the turbine on the flow and heat transfer, output power, and energy loss of the solar chimney power plant system were analyzed. The numerical simulation results reveal that: When the solar radiation and pressure drop across the turbine are 600W/m2 and 320Pa, respectively, the output power of the system can reach 120kW. In addition, a large mass flow rate of air flowing through the chimney outlet becomes the main cause of energy loss in the system, and the collector canopy also results in large energy losses. Later, a new type of helical heat-collecting solar chimney power generating system is proposed to reduce the initial investment in the solar chimney power generating system. Compared with the solar chimney prototype in Spain, given the same characteristic parameters of fluid flow and heat transfer, the 8-helical-wall heat-collecting SC system’s collector radius is shorter by 25% and its area is smaller by 41%, which is obviously more economical and more commercially competitive.