Finite element analysis shows that thermal loading and gravity yield maximum stress of 120.62 MPa in absorber tubes, indicating design adjustments may be necessary for low flow velocities.
This study investigates the absorber tube within a 8.6 m large-aperture molten salt parabolic trough solar collector. A 3D fluid-thermal finite element model was developed to analyze the thermal fatigue behavior and lifetime of the 316 Ti stainless steel tube under high-temperature molten salt conditions, employing coupled thermal stress simulation and Gerber fatigue theory. Results demonstrate that under operating conditions (850 W/m 2 DNI, 550°C inlet temperature, and 0.2 m/s flow velocity), the maximum combined stress from thermal loading and gravity reaches 120.62 MPa, below the material’s yield strength. Axial thermal expansion strain measures 2.92 cm, within acceptable deformation limits. Safety factors exceed unity at both 300°C and 550°C inlet temperatures, confirming fatigue life meets operational requirements. Further analysis reveals significantly amplified fatigue damage under low-flow-velocity conditions due to increased temperature gradients, necessitating critical design attention.
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Wang et al. (2025) studied this question.
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