NUMERICAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF MOLTEN SALT STEAM GENERATORS IN CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER PLANTS

Tian Jiaming; Duan Yiran; Wang Yueshe

doi:10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2325

PDF(2210 KB)

Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5) : 771-777. DOI: 10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2325

NUMERICAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF MOLTEN SALT STEAM GENERATORS IN CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER PLANTS

Tian Jiaming, Duan Yiran, Wang Yueshe

Author information +

History +

Abstract

Regarding the proportional-scale molten salt steam generator for concentrating solar power plants, the lumped parameter method, along with the control volume method and the Gauss-Seidel method, is simultaneously employed to establish a numerical model for predicting its thermal performance by considering the heat and mass transfer phenomena of molten salt-to-water/steam phase change in a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The influence of different flow rates and flow patterns on heat transfer characteristics is analyzed. The results indicate that the molten salt flow rate is the primary factor affecting the overall heat transfer coefficient and effectiveness of the steam generator. Higher molten salt flow rates lead to an increased overall heat transfer coefficient but reduced effectiveness. Based on the analysis of the intense phase change locations, it is recommended to adopt a design where the molten salt enters from the tail end of the steam generator.

Key words

concentrated solar power / steam generators / two phase flow / numerical models / lumped parameter networks

Cite this article

EndNote

Ris (Procite)

Bibtex

Download Citations

Tian Jiaming, Duan Yiran, Wang Yueshe. NUMERICAL STUDY ON HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF MOLTEN SALT STEAM GENERATORS IN CONCENTRATED SOLAR POWER PLANTS[J]. Acta Energiae Solaris Sinica. 2026, 47(5): 771-777 https://doi.org/10.19912/j.0254-0096.tynxb.2024-2325

References

[1] Energy Institute.Statistical review of world energy[R]. London: Technical Report, 2024.
[2] 国家太阳能光热产业技术创新战略联盟, 中国可再生能源学会太阳能热发电专业委员会. 中国太阳能热发电行业蓝皮书2025[R]. 中国:国家太阳能光热产业技术创新战略联盟, 2025: 15-17.
China Solar Thermal Alliance,China Renewable Energy Society. Blue book of China's concentrating solar power industry 2024[R]. China:China Solar Thermal Alliance, 2025: 15-17.
[3] European Commission.Concentrating solar power from research to implementation[R]. United States: SolarPACES, 2007: 17-18.
[4] 董新宇, 张宇轩, 孟凡泰, 等. 熔盐横向冲刷过冷沸腾水传热特性实验研究[J]. 太阳能学报, 2023, 44(12): 121-129.
DONG X Y, ZHANG Y X, MENG F T,et al.Experimental investigation on heat transfer characteristics of molten salt flow across subcooled boiling water[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2023, 44(12): 121-129.
[5] 董新宇, 张舒蕾, 张宇轩, 等. 熔盐横向冲刷管内汽-液两相流传热特性实验研究[J]. 太阳能学报, 2023, 44(7): 241-247.
DONG X Y, ZHANG S L, ZHANG Y X,et al.Experimental investigation on heat transfer characteristics of molten salt flow across vapor-liquid two-phase flow in tube[J]. Acta energiae solaris sinica, 2023, 44(7): 241-247.
[6] LU J F, LIU Z, ZOU Y K, et al.Experimental thermal performance study of molten salt steam generator-superheater with saturated water[J]. International journal of heat and mass transfer, 2021, 168: 120884.
[7] 江晶亮, 顾磊, 陈世通. 塔式熔盐太阳能光热电站蒸汽发生器传热数值模拟设计计算[J]. 锅炉技术, 2021, 52(1): 14-25.
JIANG J L, GU L, CHEN S T.Numerical simulation calculation of heat transfer of steam generator in tower type concentrated solar power station with molten salt[J]. Boiler technology, 2021, 52(1): 14-25.
[8] 赵兰萍, 鲍国, 杨志刚. 考虑扁管换热的平行流蒸发器制冷剂两相分配特性[J]. 同济大学学报(自然科学版), 2023, 51(10): 1641-1648.
ZHAO L P, BAO G, YANG Z G.Two-phase flow distribution characteristics of parallel-flow evaporator considering heat transfer in flat tubes[J]. Journal of Tongji University(natural science), 2023, 51(10): 1641-1648.
[9] 崔蕾, 陈玉爽, 李启明, 等. 熔盐堆用U型管壳式换热器的传热与流动特性模拟分析[J]. 核技术, 2024, 47(7): 070606.
CUI L, CHEN Y S, LI Q M,et al.Simulation analysis of heat transfer and flow characteristics of a U-tube heat exchanger in a molten salt reactor[J]. Nuclear techniques, 2024, 47(7): 070606.
[10] 林宗虎. 气液两相流和沸腾传热[M]. 西安: 西安交通大学出版社, 2003.
LIN Z H.Gas-liquid two-phase flow and boiling heat transfer[M]. Xi'an: Xi'an Jiaotong University Press, 2003.
[11] CHEN J C.Correlation for boiling heat transfer to saturated fluids in convective flow[J]. Industrial & engineering chemistry process design and development, 1966, 5(3): 322-329.
[12] 兰州石油机械研究所. 换热器[M]. 2版. 北京: 中国石化出版社, 2013.
Lanzhou Petroleum Machinery Research Institute. Heat exchanger[M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: China Petrochemical Press, 2013.