Recent advances in the field of large-scale solar thermochemical processing have given rise to substantial research efforts and demonstration projects. Many applications of high-temperature solar-thermal technology employ an enclosed cavity environment, thus requiring a transparent window through which concentrated solar energy can enter. One configuration employed is a two-cavity reactor connected by a narrow aperture, where solar flux entering through the window is focused at the aperture plane before diverging into the lower chamber, where the chemical reaction occurs. For the Zn/ZnO thermochemical cycle where Zn is solar-thermally reduced from ZnO in a high-temperature cavity environment, effective removal of the product gas stream containing zinc vapor is of paramount importance to prevent fouling by condensation on the reactor window. Two argon-jet configurations, tangential and radial, located around the circumference of the upper chamber are used to control the gas flow within the reactor cavity. First, the tangential jets drive a vortex flow, and second, the radial wall jet travels across the window before converging at the reactor center line and turning downward to create a downward jet. The tangential jet-induced flow creates a rotating vortex, contributing to overall flow stability, and the radial jet-induced downward flow counters the updraft created by the vortex while actively cooling and sweeping clear the inner surface of the window. Flow visualization in a full-scale transparent model of the reactor using smoke and laser illumination is employed to characterize the effectiveness of aerodynamic window clearing and to characterize the processes by which a vortex flow develops and breaks down in a two-chamber solar reactor geometry. Based on a large dataset of flow visualization images, a metric is developed to define vortex stability over a wide range of flow conditions and identify an ideal operating range for which a vortex formation path is established that maintains stable flow patterns and removes product gases while minimizing the use of argon gas. The predominant influence of vortex instability and breakdown is identified and examined for the case of a beam-down, two-chamber solar reactor geometry.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
November 2013
Research-Article
Experimental Investigation of Vortex Flow in a Two-Chamber Solar Thermochemical Reactor
Ajay K. Prasad
Ajay K. Prasad
1
e-mail: prasad@udel.edu
Center for Fuel Cell Research,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Center for Fuel Cell Research,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Delaware
, Newark, DE 19716
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Ajay K. Prasad
e-mail: prasad@udel.edu
Center for Fuel Cell Research,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Center for Fuel Cell Research,
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Delaware
, Newark, DE 19716
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the Journal of Fluids Engineering. Manuscript received April 8, 2013; final manuscript received July 3, 2013; published online August 8, 2013. Assoc. Editor: Mark R. Duignan.
J. Fluids Eng. Nov 2013, 135(11): 111103 (12 pages)
Published Online: August 8, 2013
Article history
Received:
April 8, 2013
Revision Received:
July 3, 2013
Citation
Koepf, E. E., Lindemer, M. D., Advani, S. G., and Prasad, A. K. (August 8, 2013). "Experimental Investigation of Vortex Flow in a Two-Chamber Solar Thermochemical Reactor." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. November 2013; 135(11): 111103. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4024965
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Entrance Lengths for Fully Developed Laminar Flow in Eccentric Annulus
J. Fluids Eng (May 2025)
Switching Events of Wakes Shed From Two Short Flapping Side-by-Side Cylinders
J. Fluids Eng (May 2025)
Related Articles
The Mean Flow Structure on the Symmetry Plane of a Turbulent Junction Vortex
J. Fluids Eng (March,1990)
Formation of Taylor Vortex Flow of Polymer Solutions
J. Fluids Eng (January,2006)
Aerodynamics and Vortex Flowfield of a Slender Delta Wing With Apex Flap and Tip Flap
J. Fluids Eng (May,2017)
Surface Static Pressures in an Inlet Vortex Flow Field
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power (April,1985)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Assessment of Remote Cavitation Detection Methods with Flow Visualization in a Full Scale Francis Turbine
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)
In-Nozzle Flow Visualization of Marine Diesel Injector Nozzles with Different Inlet Radii
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)