Research on Numerical Simulation of Heliostat's Surface Wind Pressure

Abstract:

Heliostat is the major part of solar tower power station whose wind resistance is deemed significant in design. The CFD model of single heliostat under typical operating situation was founded by technology of numerical simulation based on standard k-ε model. This paper puts forward a mesh generation method applied to complex projects under different working conditions. The corresponding UDF program was framed & used to simulate proper wind field entry conditions. The wind pressure distributions variation rules at different wind direction & elevation angles got summarized. The drag coefficients, the lift coefficients, and the three-dimensional moment coefficients in wind power coordinate under different operating conditions were computed. The results agree well with experimental data though a little bigger error exists locally. Moreover, the flow field distribution hard to acquire in wind tunnel test was compensated to further explain origin of heliostats wind pressure distribution. The influencing factors and the variation rules discovered reveals that prediction by numerical simulation is practically satisfactory.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 517)
• Pages: 809-816
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.517.809
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Ying Ge Wang, Zheng Nong Li
• Keywords: Heliostat, K-ε Model, Mean Pressure Coefficient, Numerical Simulation

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