The Importance of Managing the Performance of Particle Lift and Flow Control Systems in Research CST Plants to Facilitate Commercialization

Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) with integrated thermal energy storage has shown significant potential for the provision of electricity or process heat in a predictable manner. This paper explores the relationship between Feed temperature, solar flux and measured knife gate gap on particle flow, Correlations to predict flow based on these parameters are proposed and tested. The behaviour of vertical screw lifts was examined with respect to flow history and temperature. The lack of a clear correlation of flow with screw speed highlights the critical need for accurate independent flow measurement practices.