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Improving the concentration ratio of parabolic troughs using a second-stage flat mirror

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  • Rodriguez-Sanchez, David
  • Rosengarten, Gary

Abstract

Increasing the concentration ratio of parabolic troughs is one of the challenges to make this technology economically competitive against fossil fuels. Parabolic troughs with large concentration ratios face several problems such as difficulty capturing all the solar direct radiation and structural issues associated with thermal expansions and wind resistance amongst others. For larger mirrors it may be necessary to use a bigger absorber in order to capture all the radiation, thus increasing the thermal losses. A second stage reflector helps to increase the concentration ratio without increasing the primary mirror size. In this work, a theoretical analysis of a parabolic trough with a secondary flat reflector is developed and ray tracing is conducted in order to validate the equations obtained. A flat reflector will have a minimal economic impact in the cost of a parabolic trough and it allows larger concentration ratios for identical primary mirror areas compared to a standard parabolic trough. Increases of concentration ratio up to 80% are observed when a secondary flat reflector is inserted in a commercial system, while the shadow area introduced in the primary mirror is usually less than 15% of the primary mirror area. The increase in pumping power is offset by the increase in system efficiency.

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  • Rodriguez-Sanchez, David & Rosengarten, Gary, 2015. "Improving the concentration ratio of parabolic troughs using a second-stage flat mirror," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 620-632.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:159:y:2015:i:c:p:620-632
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.08.106
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    12. Manikandan, G.K. & Iniyan, S. & Goic, Ranko, 2019. "Enhancing the optical and thermal efficiency of a parabolic trough collector – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 1524-1540.
    13. Ogunmodimu, Olumide & Okoroigwe, Edmund C., 2018. "Concentrating solar power technologies for solar thermal grid electricity in Nigeria: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 104-119.
    14. Gao, Yuan & Zhu, Xuan & Chen, Jiangfeng & Xie, Yin & Hong, Jianan & Jin, Junyu & Han, Junchou & Zhang, Xuhan & Xu, Chenyu & Zhang, Yanwei, 2024. "Constructing the large-scale collimating solar simulator with a light half-divergence angle <1° using only collimating radiation modules," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    15. Bushra, Nayab & Hartmann, Timo, 2019. "A review of state-of-the-art reflective two-stage solar concentrators: Technology categorization and research trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    16. Tang, X.Y. & Yang, W.W. & Yang, Y. & Jiao, Y.H. & Zhang, T., 2021. "A design method for optimizing the secondary reflector of a parabolic trough solar concentrator to achieve uniform heat flux distribution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    17. Ehtiwesh, Ismael A.S. & Coelho, Margarida C. & Sousa, Antonio C.M., 2016. "Exergetic and environmental life cycle assessment analysis of concentrated solar power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 145-155.

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