Study on heated air flow for solar updraft power generation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26630465
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Earth system and resources engineering
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: SUGIURA KUNITOMO 京都大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (70216307)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIRATO Hiromichi 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (70150323) ; YAGI Tomomi 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (30293905) ; KIM Chul-woo 京都大学, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (80379487) ; HASHIMOTO Kunitaro 神戸大学, 大学院工学研究科, 准教授 (40467452) ; YAMAMOTO Kyosuke 筑波大学, 大学院システム情報工学研究科, 助教 (80635392)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ソーラーアップドラフト発電 / 空気流 / 空気誘導構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The Manzanares prototype for Solar Updraft Power Plant(abbr. SUPG) is examined by scaled model test in the laboratory as well as outside. A theoretical model for calculating the steady inviscid airflow subjected to solar radiation at the collector of a solar updraft power plant is developed, and the numerical simulation method as incompressible fluid flow is also assessed. A comparison of simulation results is satisfactory; however, it is concluded that the further refinement is necessary.

The structural assessment on 1000m height tower for 200MW class SUPG in marine environment is assessed. It is feasible by steel shell structures, but the weight can not be resuded compared by that of concrete shell structures. However, steel truss structures can contribute to reduce the total weight drastically. Furthermore, it is understood that the dynamic response by wave faces might be relatively small because of its huge weight.

Free Research Field

鋼・複合構造