Numerical Analysis on Heat Transfer Characteristics of a Heat Pipe Type Solar Thermal Receiver According to Internal Geometry Variation

고온 히트파이프식 태양열 흡수기의 내부형상 변화에 따른 열전달 특성의 수치해석

A numerical analysis was conducted to predict the heat transfer characteristics of a solar receiver which is subject to very high heat fluxes and temperatures for solar thermal applications. The concentration ratio of the solar receiver ranges 1000 and the concentrated heat is required to be transported to a certain distance for specific applications. This study deals with a solar receiver according to internal geometry variation incorporating high-temperature heat pipe. The isothermal characteristics in the receiver section is of major concern. The diameter of the solar thermal receiver was 120 mm and the length was 400 mm and the angle of receiver end wall set $90^{\circ},\;60^{\circ},\;45^{\circ},\;30^{\circ}$. And the diameter of the heat pipe was 12.7 mm, 48 axial channels of the same dimensions were attached to the outer wall of the receiver with even spacing in the circumferential direction. The channels are changed to high-temperature sodium heat pipes. Commercial softwares were employed to deal with the radiative heat transfer inside the receiver cavity and the convection heat transfer along the channels. The numerical results are compared and analyzed from the view point of high-temperature solar receiver.