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Damage modeling of power tower receiver tubes using the SRLIFE tool.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Damage modeling of power tower receiver tubes using the SRLIFE tool.
Authors: Wenner, Jacob1 (AUTHOR), Messner, Mark C.2 (AUTHOR), Wagner, Michael J.1 (AUTHOR) mjwagner2@wisc.edu
Source: Solar Energy. Oct2025, Vol. 299, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Damage models, Finite element method, Tubes, Heat resistant alloys, Flexural strength, Solar thermal energy, Alloy fatigue
Abstract: Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) molten-salt central receivers are subject to high, transient incident flux during daily operation. The resulting creep-fatigue damage impacts the receiver's reliability and restricts the permissible incident flux distribution for a given receiver. This paper aims to reduce CSP plants' levelized cost of electricity by developing a methodology to predict lifetime and identifies the primary damage mechanism (creep vs fatigue) for any given fluid temperature and temperature gradient. Results are presented in the form of a damage map that serves as a valuable operation guide and design tool. Damage maps can be used to reduce maintenance costs by improving reliability and reduce receiver capital costs by better utilizing the receiver area. FEA simulation and damage modeling of tubes subject to asymmetrical flux conditions is performed in the open-source receiver design tool srlife. Parametric studies are performed over a range of inner tube temperatures and thermal gradients for A230, 316H, 740H, A282, A617, and 800H high temperature alloys. Damage maps are presented for each alloy. A parametric, FEA-based methodology is presented for comparison of fatigue-creep ratios and prediction of tube lifetime based on the critical thermal operating conditions. Fatigue is found to be negligible compared to creep for almost every case. This finding suggests that fatigue effects associated with cloud events are insignificant compared to creep at these high temperature operating conditions. Additionally, lifetime predictions identify thermal conditions where small changes in operating conditions can result in large changes in predicted lifetime. [Display omitted] • Creep and fatigue damage predicted for six alloys over broad temperature range. • Fatigue damage is negligible compared to creep for majority of studied alloys. • Lifetime is reduced at intermediate temperatures for Alloy 230 and 316H. • Extensive finite element modeling considers cycling, yielding, and relaxation. • Novel maps present lifetime, creep and fatigue damage over operation range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) molten-salt central receivers are subject to high, transient incident flux during daily operation. The resulting creep-fatigue damage impacts the receiver's reliability and restricts the permissible incident flux distribution for a given receiver. This paper aims to reduce CSP plants' levelized cost of electricity by developing a methodology to predict lifetime and identifies the primary damage mechanism (creep vs fatigue) for any given fluid temperature and temperature gradient. Results are presented in the form of a damage map that serves as a valuable operation guide and design tool. Damage maps can be used to reduce maintenance costs by improving reliability and reduce receiver capital costs by better utilizing the receiver area. FEA simulation and damage modeling of tubes subject to asymmetrical flux conditions is performed in the open-source receiver design tool srlife. Parametric studies are performed over a range of inner tube temperatures and thermal gradients for A230, 316H, 740H, A282, A617, and 800H high temperature alloys. Damage maps are presented for each alloy. A parametric, FEA-based methodology is presented for comparison of fatigue-creep ratios and prediction of tube lifetime based on the critical thermal operating conditions. Fatigue is found to be negligible compared to creep for almost every case. This finding suggests that fatigue effects associated with cloud events are insignificant compared to creep at these high temperature operating conditions. Additionally, lifetime predictions identify thermal conditions where small changes in operating conditions can result in large changes in predicted lifetime. [Display omitted] • Creep and fatigue damage predicted for six alloys over broad temperature range. • Fatigue damage is negligible compared to creep for majority of studied alloys. • Lifetime is reduced at intermediate temperatures for Alloy 230 and 316H. • Extensive finite element modeling considers cycling, yielding, and relaxation. • Novel maps present lifetime, creep and fatigue damage over operation range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:0038092X
DOI:10.1016/j.solener.2025.113627