High-flux testing of heat pipes for point-focus solar collector systems.

摘要

The Department of Energy is currently funding the development of a power conversion system that uses a parabolic-dish collector to direct solar energy onto a 25-kWe Stirling engine/generator system. As part of this program, heat-pipe solar receivers are being developed to transfer 65 kW of thermal energy from the focus of the concentrator to the heater-tubes of the engine. These receivers operate at temperaturesup to 800(degrees)C and with peak flux loads approaching 100 W/cm(sup 2). Designing a wick structure that can withstand these operating conditions has been a major part of the heat-pipe receiver development activities. Recently, bench-scale tests were performed on two advanced artery structures that are candidates for full-scale receivers. The arteries were able to lift sodium over 40 cm to cool a 30-cm(sup 2) patch on the bench-scale receiver's surface. Peak flux levels of approximately 80 W/cm(sup 2) were applied to the receiver surface.