Massively parallel computational methods for combined-modes heat transfer with applications to concentrated solar power technologies

背景：提议的研究项目是在高效能源系统领域：特别是通过热-机械转换的太阳能发电。对该计划的兴趣源于这样一个事实，即这种技术虽然是必需的，但目前的平均年转换效率仅限于15-18%。由此产生的电力成本可能是使用传统化石燃料发电的三倍之多。******当转换效率显著提高，并且这种改进后的技术仍然简单、可靠、廉价时，太阳能热电厂的竞争力就会出现突破。******期望的突破可能存在于高温（1000℃或以上）联合循环电厂，燃气轮机和蒸汽轮机串联运行，转换效率可达到60%，总效率可达30%。在这些温度下提供太阳能热能将涉及重大挑战，例如：设计高温材料，优化接收器和光学器件中的辐射和对流传热，以用于高浓度。******目的：本研究计划的主要目标是：***1)研究多孔材料（更具体地说，是高压气流作用下的半透明网状陶瓷材料）对聚光太阳能的体积吸收的基本原理，然后；***2)创建“数值”或虚拟网状多孔陶瓷，并同时通过计算手段进行研究；***3)制定、实现并验证了多孔介质中流体流动模拟的数值方法，同时；***4)建立、实现并验证了多孔介质复合传热模态的数值计算方法；***5)结合上述两种方法对虚拟陶瓷进行研究，然后；***6)实验测试根据优化设计构建的真实陶瓷的转化性能，同时；***7)基于晶格玻尔兹曼方法重新表述部分主代码，这在理论上是提高计算时间所必需的。******成果：本研究的成果将正确理解全球技术中光热转换单元（体积吸收器）的关键。******我们的国家，和世界其他国家一样，将在未来几十年面临能源危机；在这种背景下，热能工程的研究可能会为加拿大带来新的、重要的能源和环境技术的发展

CONTEXT: The proposed research program is in the field of high-efficiency energy systems: in particular, solar-electricity production by thermo-mechanical conversion. The interest in the program is motivated by the fact that such technology, although mostly required, is currently limited to an average annual conversion efficiency of 15-18%. The cost of electricity thusly produced may be as much as three times that of electricity produced using conventional fossil fuels. ******A breakthrough in the competitiveness of solar-thermal plants will occur when the conversion efficiency will be significantly increased, and if this improved technology could still be simple, reliable and inexpensive.******The desired breakthrough may reside in high-temperature (1,000C or above) combined-cycle power plants, with gas and steam turbines operating in series, for which the conversion efficiency could reach 60% and the overall efficiency up to 30%. Providing solar heat at these temperatures would involve significant challenges, such as: designing materials for high temperatures, optimizing radiative and convective heat transfer in receivers and optics for high-concentration.******OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of this research program are to: ***1) study the fundamentals of the volumetric absorption of concentrated solar energy on porous materials, more specifically, semi-transparent reticulated ceramic materials subjected to high-pressure air flows, and then; ***2) create “numerical” or virtual reticulated porous ceramics to be investigated by computational means, and simultaneously;***3) formulate, implement and validate a numerical method for fluid flow simulations in porous media, and simultaneously;***4) formulate, implement and validate a numerical method for combined-modes of heat transfer in porous media, and then;***5) combine both methods to investigate the above-mentioned virtual ceramics, and then;***6) experimentally test the conversion performances of real ceramics constructed according to the optimal design, and simultaneously;***7) reformulate parts of the main code based on Lattice Boltzmann methods, which in theory, are required to enhance computational time.******OUTCOMES : Outcomes from this research will be a proper understanding of the key of optico-thermal conversion unit (the volumetric absorber) in the global technology.******Our country, along with the rest of the world, will face an energy crisis in the decades to come; in this context, research in thermal-energy engineering could potentially lead to the development of new and vital energy and environmental technologies for Canada.**