Conceptual design of a new thermal‐electric conversion device in lightweight concentrating solar thermal power system

• Main Authors: Xi Rui, Fei Zheng, Tao Zheng, Xiang Ji, Tian Wu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
• Series: Energy Science & Engineering
• Subjects: concentrating solar thermal power; cycling feasibility analysis; Rankine cycle; thermal‐electric conversion; thermodynamic analysis
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.519

Abstract Concentrating solar thermal power (CSTP) technology has become a hot issue in the present research because of its high conversion efficiency. However, traditional schemes cannot be widely applied due to their complex structure, low power density, and high cost. In view of this, based on a new type of lightweight cable mesh reflector structure and the Rankine cycle, a new conceptual design of thermal‐electric conversion device in CSTP system is proposed. The process of thermal‐electric conversion is actualized through smart and lightweight structural design; the performance estimation of the device is carried out through focusing performance analysis and thermodynamic analysis; the cycling feasibility is verified through multifield coupling simulation analysis. Compared with the existing thermal‐electric conversion devices, the device proposed in this paper has higher power‐to‐weight ratio. And the power generation system that combines the proposed device with the flexible cable net reflector has the characteristics of lightweight, portability, and small land area, which has a great significance for the popularization and application of distributed layout CSTP system.