Comparative analysis of solar vacuum conical and spiral cavity receivers: driving sustainable energy governance

This study investigates the performance of a solar dish concentrator system equipped with vacuum conical and spiral cavity receivers, utilizing thermal oil as the working fluid. It specifically evaluates and compares the efficiency of vacuum and non-vacuum conical cavity receivers. The analysis is grounded in energy, exergy and environmental (3E) evaluation frameworks. These theoretical approaches assess the system’s thermodynamic efficiency (energy/exergy) and its environmental impact mitigation potential. The methodology involves a comparative analysis of vacuum and non-vacuum conical cavity receivers, as well as vacuum spiral receivers, to determine their effects on the solar dish collector’s efficiency. Thermal oil serves as the working fluid, and performance metrics (energy/exergy efficiency, overall system efficiency) are evaluated under real world conditions (e.g., seasonal variations, such as June and November 2021). The vacuum conical cavity receiver demonstrated superior performance, achieving energy and exergy efficiencies of approximately 73.45% and 17%, respectively, in June 2021. The highest improvements in energy (2.05%), exergy (2.17%), and overall efficiency (2.09%) were observed in November 2021 with the application of vacuum conical cavity receiver were compared to the non-vacuum one. The study underscores the role of vacuum receivers in enhancing solar system performance and provides policy recommendations to advance energy governance and sustainable energy practices through innovative solar technologies. These findings contribute to optimizing solar-efficient systems for sustainable development.