Design And Experiment Research Of A Solar Simulator In Dish/Stirling Solar Power Generation System

One spectrum matching well and adjustable irradiance solar simulator is the basement to study the key technology of dish/stirling solar power generation system, because the instrument can overcome the restrictions of time, weather and location to carry out multi-regional, multi-season experiment. In the article, the solar simulator's design method and performance are deeply researched. Solar simulators own well-performance are built on the basis of numerical simulation and experimental results, the designed solar simulators are experimental platform of studying the dish/stirling solar power generation system.The degree of spectral matching, irradiance and radiation heat transfer characteristics are reference index of the designed simulator. During the design process, Monte-Carlo ray tracing method is used to simulate the simulator's irradiance and radiation heat transfer performance. It is found that light source, reflector's shape and materials, the layout of lamp significantly affect the simulator's performance. The xenon lamps are selected as the solar simulator's light source through theoretical analysis, designed solar simulator meet the experimental requirements on irradiance and spectrum. By the comparative analysis, the numerical simulation and test results are closely to each other, so during simulator's design process, the Monte-Carlo ray tracing results can be used as the theoretical references.According to light thermal principle the radiation meter is designed during the process of work. The radiation meter, thermal couple and Agilent data acquisition system are all used to measure designed solar simulator's performance, Irradiance distribution and stirling engine's temperature are obtained. The results show that the distance between the heater and the focal surface, the absorption rate of heater effects greatly on the irradiance curve and radiation heat transfer capability.Under the guidance of ray tracing method numerical simulation and experimental results, 5kW and 18 kW solar simulators are built. The condenser type of the 5kW solar simulator is directly concentrating program, its irradiance curve and 1kW stirling engine heater's temperature are obtained by the solar simulator and stirling engine's combining test; the 18kW solar simulator is reflected concentrating type with one 8-m diameter paraboloid reflector, the ray tracing simulation results provide its irradiance and radiation heat transfer performance, the collecting efficiency of radiation power and uniform irradiance curve can be achieved by change heater's shape and the distance between heater and focal plane. The simulation results provide well comments and suggestions for the design of Stirling engine heater's structural parameters.