Browsing by Author "Baker, D."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Metadata only
Design methodology of a concentrating solar volumetric receiver
(ASME, 2023) Akba, Tufan; Baker, D.; Mengüç, Mustafa Pınar; Mechanical Engineering; MENGÜÇ, Mustafa Pınar; Akba, Tufan
A volumetric receiver design process is proposed to respond wide range of power, outlet temperature, or mass flow rate needs. In the receiver model, concentrated solar radiation hits the inner surface cavity and heats the gaseous fluid passing through the porous media assembled between the cavity and the insulator. Porous media properties and receiver geometry are coupled in the design process to determine the best possible option. A two-step process starts with a parameter sweep to create a surrogate model. Then, gradient-based design optimization is performed using two different surrogate models to maximize the outlet air temperature for bounded design variables in receiver volume and outer surface temperature constraints. The proposed design process has the advantage of exploring more design options faster using the surrogate model and more accurate results using the base model in the plant-level simulations. The methodology is discussed by comparing the surrogate models and the model validation shows that over 95% accuracy is obtained using both surrogate models. Surrogate-based design optimization is compared as in solution time and the final results are compared with respect to the base receiver model.
Metadata only
Gradient-based optimization of micro-scale pressurized volumetric receiver geometry and flow rate
(Elsevier, 2023-02) Akba, Tufan; Baker, D.; Mengüç, Mustafa Pınar; Mechanical Engineering; MENGÜÇ, Mustafa Pınar; Akba, Tufan
This study focuses on the design optimization of a micro-scale pressurized volumetric receiver by changing geometry and flow rate constrained by the volume, outlet air temperature, and outer surface temperature. The pressurized volumetric receiver model is replicated from an existing model, which assumes constant air pressure and neglects the convection loss from the cavity. The existing model is revised from a solver to a design optimizer. The replicated model is restructured using OpenMDAO (Open-source MultiDisciplinary Analysis and Optimization) framework, and analytical derivatives are implemented for efficient derivative calculation to increase optimization performance. The replicated model is verified, and the maximum outlet air temperature difference is less than 0.05%. Optimization performance, selection of optimizers, the effect of the domain size, and radiative methods are discussed. The combined impact of the design variables is observed by selecting SLSQP (Sequential Least SQuares Programming) and trust-region optimizers. Optimization performance is tested in different domain sizes and compared with a design of experiments analysis. For testing the impact of radiative heat transfer methods to design optimization, the Rosseland approximation, and P1 method are selected. Depending on the design domain, a solution methodology is suggested for future receiver design optimizations applicable for macro-scale pressurized volumetric receivers.
Metadata only
Modeling, transient simulations and parametric studies of parabolic trough collectors with thermal energy storage
(Elsevier, 2020-03-15) Akba, Tufan; Baker, D.; Yazicioglu, A. G.
For investigating the system response of parabolic trough collector heat generating system, a plant with parabolic trough collector field and two-tank molten salt thermal energy storage model with component-level control algorithm is developed for managing various working conditions. The model is transient inside the components and responds with hourly weather and demand data. The main purpose of this work is providing an alternative design methodology that focuses on the collector field, and storage size by investment, location, and load type. Using a simple economic model, the plant parameters are calculated, which contains only initial investment costs of the parabolic trough collector field and thermal energy storage costs. Depending on the economic model, various sizes of collector field and storage combinations are created at fixed initial investment costs in the mathematical model. A parametric study is performed by using the economic model simulating at several initial investment costs, two different locations in Turkey, and four different load profiles. As a result of the parametric study, maximum solar fraction cases are selected and the generalized trend is observed. The effect of thermal energy storage on the solar fraction is discussed and the change in thermal energy storage with optimum plant size is investigated. After the optimum investment, the linear increment trend of dispatchability is disappearing and increases asymptotically by increasing the plant and/or storage size. Later in this work, the significance of the load profile is emphasized, which should be one of the major design parameters for solar-powered energy systems.