What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore the flow dynamics and optimisation of gravity-driven heat exchangers for enhancing heat transfer efficiency in CSP applications.

April 23, 2026Open Access

Experimental investigation and optimisation of flow dynamics of gravity moving bed electric heater for olivine particles in CSP

Key Points

To explore the flow dynamics and optimisation of gravity-driven heat exchangers for enhancing heat transfer efficiency in CSP applications.
Experimental investigation of heat transfer mechanics in gravity-driven heat exchangers
Analysis of olivine particle behavior in the heating process
Optimization of the integration of a superheater in the CSP prototype system.
Improved heat transfer efficiency observed with the new design of heat exchangers.
Higher particle loop temperatures were achieved with the incorporation of the superheater.
Demonstrated feasibility of enhanced thermal management within CSP systems.

Abstract

Gravity-driven shell-tube heat exchangers stand out among other solid-particle HX designs due to their low cost, reduced parasitic losses, and ease of integration into various processes. For CSP applications, these heat exchangers are typically used for transferring the heat from the particle loop to the conversion cycle. However,another potential application of a heat exchanger could be for providing additional heat to the particle loop, thus increasing particle loop temperature even further. A potential method for achieving higher particle loop temperatures involves incorporating a superheater after the solar receiver, a concept explored in the MW-scaleCSP prototype within Powder2Powder project.

Experimental investigation and optimisation of flow dynamics of gravity moving bed electric heater for olivine particles in CSP

Key Points

Abstract

Cite This Study