Numerical investigation on performance of solar chimney power plant with three wind resistant structures

Abstract

The solar chimney power plant (SCPP) provides the approach to achieving carbon neutrality goals. The power generation of the system decreases drastically due to the ambient crosswinds (ACWs). In this paper, three wind resistant structures, including blockage wall, radial partition wall (RPW), and porous wall are adopted to weaken the effects of the ACWs. In addition, the flow characteristics and power generation performance of each system are investigated in the first consideration of the 3D turbine by developing a numerical model. The results reveal that the negative effects caused by the ACWs on the system are attenuated by integrating the three structures. The adverse effect of weak winds on the SCPP is greatly weakened by integrating a blockage wall, but is not significant for robust winds. For SCPP with RPWs, the velocity is slightly increased due to the improved collector flow path by the RPWs at ACW = 0 m/s. The maximum power generation is 93.68 kW, an increase of 1.22 times over the SCPP. The uneven forces on the turbine blades due to the ACWs can be mitigated by integrating porous wall, enhancing turbine stability. In addition, the fluctuation of the power generation is less than 30 % under ACWs.