Modeling and Simulation for Particulate Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Particle heating systems are promising candidates for Concentrator Solar Power, but particle to fluid heat exchangers, especially for the needed high temperatures, are an underdeveloped technology. To advance this technology, this research was conducted to develop an equivalent CFD model to represent the flow and heat transfer processes in a moving packed bed heat exchanger.

This study focuses in particular on modeling the heat transfer of the particles moving as plug flow. Several heat exchanger geometries will be investigated and the resulting heat transfer coefficient will be compared with experimental results. The thermal conductivity, as a function of temperature, for bulk particulate as well as the near-wall region will be investigated. The modeling and simulation results will introduce an approach of modeling particulates heat exchanger.