Simulation of different modes of heat transfer on a parabolic trough solar collector

Abstract

The development of solar concentrator technology has just reached a very significant level. Using reflectors to concentrate the sun's rays on the absorber dramatically reduces the size of the absorber, reducing heat loss and increasing its efficiency at high temperatures. Another advantage of this system is that the reflectors are significantly less expensive, per unit area, than the flat collectors. To determine the performances of a cylindrical-parabolic concentrator, mathematical modeling of the heat balance on the absorber, the coolant, and the glass envelope was established using Matlab. The system of equations obtained is solved by the finite difference method. The results for a typical day are the variation in the temperature of the heat transfer fluid, the absorber tube, and the glass envelope. Thus, we examine the effect of the wind speed, flow rate on the temperature distribution of the coolant at the outlet. However, for a mass flow rate of the fluid of 0.1 kg / s, the outlet temperature of the fluid is 85 ° C with a thermal efficiency of 73%. Excluding the energy absorbed by the absorber tube is 75% of the solar intensity received on the reflector.