CFD analysis for solar chimney power plants

Hermann F. Fasel; Fanlong Meng; Ehsan Shams; Andreas Gross

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029

CFD analysis for solar chimney power plants

Hermann F. Fasel, Fanlong Meng, Ehsan Shams, Andreas Gross

Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

104 Scopus citations

Abstract

Solar chimney power plants are investigated numerically using ANSYS Fluent and an in-house developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. Analytical scaling laws are verified by considering a large range of scales with tower heights between 1. m (sub-scale laboratory model) and 1000. m (largest envisioned plant). A model with approximately 6. m tower height is currently under construction at the University of Arizona. Detailed time-dependent high-resolution simulations of the flow in the collector and chimney of the model provide detailed insight into the fluid dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms. Both transversal and longitudinal convection rolls are identified in the collector, indicating the presence of a Rayleigh-Bénard-Poiseuille instability. Local separation is observed near the chimney inflow. The flow inside the chimney is fully turbulent.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	12-22
Number of pages	11
Journal	Solar energy
Volume	98
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029
State	Published - Dec 2013

Keywords

CFD
Direct numerical simulation
Rayleigh-Bénard-Poiseuille instability
Solar chimney
Turbulence modeling
Unsteady flow structures

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
General Materials Science

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10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029

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@article{e94e32eafd7f470caf7df0b072a3929b,

title = "CFD analysis for solar chimney power plants",

abstract = "Solar chimney power plants are investigated numerically using ANSYS Fluent and an in-house developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. Analytical scaling laws are verified by considering a large range of scales with tower heights between 1. m (sub-scale laboratory model) and 1000. m (largest envisioned plant). A model with approximately 6. m tower height is currently under construction at the University of Arizona. Detailed time-dependent high-resolution simulations of the flow in the collector and chimney of the model provide detailed insight into the fluid dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms. Both transversal and longitudinal convection rolls are identified in the collector, indicating the presence of a Rayleigh-B{\'e}nard-Poiseuille instability. Local separation is observed near the chimney inflow. The flow inside the chimney is fully turbulent.",

keywords = "CFD, Direct numerical simulation, Rayleigh-B{\'e}nard-Poiseuille instability, Solar chimney, Turbulence modeling, Unsteady flow structures",

author = "Fasel, {Hermann F.} and Fanlong Meng and Ehsan Shams and Andreas Gross",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the University of Arizona 1885 Society and supported by the University of Arizona TRIF-funded Water, Environmental and Energy Solutions initiative co-managed by the Water Sustainability Program, Institute of the Environment, and Renewable Energy Network.",

year = "2013",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "98",

pages = "12--22",

journal = "Solar energy",

issn = "0038-092X",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - CFD analysis for solar chimney power plants

AU - Fasel, Hermann F.

AU - Meng, Fanlong

AU - Shams, Ehsan

AU - Gross, Andreas

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by the University of Arizona 1885 Society and supported by the University of Arizona TRIF-funded Water, Environmental and Energy Solutions initiative co-managed by the Water Sustainability Program, Institute of the Environment, and Renewable Energy Network.

PY - 2013/12

Y1 - 2013/12

N2 - Solar chimney power plants are investigated numerically using ANSYS Fluent and an in-house developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. Analytical scaling laws are verified by considering a large range of scales with tower heights between 1. m (sub-scale laboratory model) and 1000. m (largest envisioned plant). A model with approximately 6. m tower height is currently under construction at the University of Arizona. Detailed time-dependent high-resolution simulations of the flow in the collector and chimney of the model provide detailed insight into the fluid dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms. Both transversal and longitudinal convection rolls are identified in the collector, indicating the presence of a Rayleigh-Bénard-Poiseuille instability. Local separation is observed near the chimney inflow. The flow inside the chimney is fully turbulent.

AB - Solar chimney power plants are investigated numerically using ANSYS Fluent and an in-house developed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. Analytical scaling laws are verified by considering a large range of scales with tower heights between 1. m (sub-scale laboratory model) and 1000. m (largest envisioned plant). A model with approximately 6. m tower height is currently under construction at the University of Arizona. Detailed time-dependent high-resolution simulations of the flow in the collector and chimney of the model provide detailed insight into the fluid dynamics and heat transfer mechanisms. Both transversal and longitudinal convection rolls are identified in the collector, indicating the presence of a Rayleigh-Bénard-Poiseuille instability. Local separation is observed near the chimney inflow. The flow inside the chimney is fully turbulent.

KW - CFD

KW - Direct numerical simulation

KW - Rayleigh-Bénard-Poiseuille instability

KW - Solar chimney

KW - Turbulence modeling

KW - Unsteady flow structures

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84887018935&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84887018935&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029

DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2013.08.029

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84887018935

SN - 0038-092X

VL - 98

SP - 12

EP - 22

JO - Solar energy

JF - Solar energy

ER -

CFD analysis for solar chimney power plants

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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