Experiment and dynamic simulation of a solar tower collector system for power generation

Solar air Brayton cycle is a promising option to adjust the renewable power fluctuation due to its quick load regulation capacity. For the successful design and deployment of the solar air Brayton cycle system, the dynamic operation performance of solar collectors under real operating conditions are of great importance. In this study, experiments of a solar collector consisting of the heliostat field and the air receiver are carried out. Based on the experimental investigation of the operating characteristics for the solar collector, a dynamic model is further developed and well-validated to couple the heliostat field and air receiver. The dynamic performance of the air receiver is studied with various factors, including the DNI change and the receiver heat capacity. The results show that the receiver outlet temperature can reach up to 882 °C with a pressure loss of 7.10 kPa and a thermal power of 132 kW during the experiment. Two operation strategies of the air receiver are compared by carrying out the intraday simulation and the constant-outlet-temperature control strategy is more suitable for fast start-up. The method developed in this paper can serve as an efficient tool for the understanding, design and optimization of solar collectors.