Topology Optimization Method of a Cavity Receiver and Built-In Net-Based Flow Channels for a Solar Parabolic Dish Collector

The design of a thermal cavity receiver and the arrangement of the fluid flow layout within it are critical in the construction of solar parabolic dish collectors, involving the prediction of the thermal–fluid physical field of the receiver and optimization design. However, the thermal–fluid analysis coupled with a heat loss model of the receiver is a non-linear and computationally intensive solving process that incurs high computational costs in the optimization procedure. To address this, we implement a net-based thermal–fluid model that incorporates heat loss analysis to describe the receiver’s flow and heat transfer processes, reducing computational costs. The physical field results of the net-based thermal–fluid model are compared with those of the numerical simulation, enabling us to verify the accuracy of the established thermal–fluid model. Additionally, based on the developed thermal–fluid model, a topology optimization method that employs a genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to design the cavity receiver and its built-in net-based flow channels. Using the established optimization method, single-objective and multi-objective optimization experiments are conducted under inhomogeneous heat flux conditions, with objectives including maximizing temperature uniformity and thermal efficiency, as well as minimizing the pressure drop. The results reveal varying topological characteristics for different optimization objectives. In comparison with the reference design (spiral channel) under the same conditions, the multi-objective optimization results exhibit superior comprehensive performance.