Design, construction and operation of a particle-driven CSP conveyance loop: attrition, erosion, and thermal performance aspects

• A dense-phase conveying is proposed at a solid/air ratio>15 and 0.35 kW/t energy use. • Particle attrition during conveying is experimentally determined at < 0.1%/cycle. • Erosion testing define high-temperature steel selection and durability with AISI 304/310 chosen. • Heat recovery limits losses to < 3%. • Provides practical design/operation guidelines for particle-driven CSP scale-up. This study presents a novel particle-driven Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) system, focusing on the design and operation of its dense-phase particle conveyance loop. Contrary to well-documented lean-phase conveying, the dense-phase mode significantly reduces heat losses and particle velocity, thereby mitigating attrition and erosion. Through experimental analysis and engineering modeling, we demonstrate the feasibility of vertically conveying 16 t/h of olivine particles within a 0.20 m diameter riser over 90 m height, achieving a specific energy consumption of 0.35 kW/ton-53% lower than conventional bucket elevators. Key findings include a remarkably low particle attrition rate (<0.1% per cycle) and an extrapolated component lifespan of 16-24 years for selected materials (AISI 410/304 for risers/screw conveyors at ∼ 300 °C and AISI 310 for the down-comer at > 600 °C). Thermal modeling confirms that overall heat losses can be maintained below 3% via optimized heat recovery. This work provides critical insights and validated design principles for efficient and durable particle-based CSP systems.