Performance evaluation of solar vortex engine and optimization of number of air entry slots and turbine location

Solar vortex engine (SVE) is one of the novel alternative energy concepts which uses solar energy for creating artificial vortices. The working principle of SVE is the same as the solar updraft tower (SUT) plant. In the present study, a 3D computational model of SVE was studied to evaluate the flow parameters and power potential. The effect of the number of air entry slots (AESs) which is varied from 6 to 12 and the location of the turbine were studied and optimized. A turbulent, renormalization group (RNG) k-ɛ model was used to solve the governing equations. The flow parameters such as velocity, temperature and dynamic pressure for the optimum SVE with 8 AESs were 1.42 ms−1, 311.1 K and 1.58 Pa, respectively. The optimum height for the turbine was 0.702 m from the base plate (0.1 m from the top plate) and so that the turbine can harness maximum energy. The theoretical and actual powers for the optimum case (AESs of 8 and the turbine at 0.702 m) were 3.45 and 2.3 W, respectively. The study proved that SVE is a potential choice to replace the chimney of a solar updraft tower (SUT) plant for electricity generation.