Chapter 479 - Design and Construction of a Solar Thermal Miniplant

Abstract

This chapter discusses the designing and construction of a solar thermal miniplant. Two different types of reactor systems that are suitable for this process have been developed at the University of Dortmund. A reactor with an open receiver area and a closed reactor system have been projected and tested. Simulations of the open receiver reactor system showed that the buoyant-driven convective heat losses inside the open-air cavity receiver play an important role in the energy balance. The experiments with the open receiver reactor system revealed that a closed reactor system has some decisive advantages. The principle scheme of the closed reactor system and the experiences of the first tests are presented. To increase the efficiency of the reactors final concentrators were used. Two different types of final concentrators, a Cone- and a Tri-Cone-Concentrator were investigated and compared in simulations and experiments.