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Investigation on the Optical Design and Performance of a Single-Axis-Tracking Solar Parabolic trough Collector with a Secondary Reflector

Author

Listed:
  • Chinnasamy Subramaniyan

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 638401, India)

  • Jothirathinam Subramani

    (Chennai SSSS Equipments Private Limited, Chennai 600077, India)

  • Balasubramanian Kalidasan

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology, Sathyamangalam 638401, India)

  • Natarajan Anbuselvan

    (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 602105, India)

  • Thangaraj Yuvaraj

    (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai 602105, India)

  • Natarajan Prabaharan

    (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur 613401, India)

  • Tomonobu Senjyu

    (Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan)

Abstract

The design of solar concentrating collectors for the effective utilization of solar energy is a challenging condition due to tracking errors leading to different divergences of the solar incidence angle. To enhance the optical performance of solar parabolic trough collectors (SPTC) under a diverged solar incidence angle, an additional compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is introduced as a secondary reflector. SPTC with CPC is designed and modeled for a single axis-tracking concentrating collector based on the local ambient conditions. In this work, the optical performance of the novel SPTC system with and without a secondary reflector is investigated using MATLAB and TRACEPRO software simulations for various tracking errors. The significance parameters such as the solar incidence angle, aperture length, receiver tube diameter, rim angle, concentration ratio, solar radiation, and absorbed flux are analyzed. The simulation results show that the rate of the absorbed flux on the receiver tube is significantly improved by providing the secondary reflector, which enhances the optical efficiency of the collector. It is found that the optical efficiency of the SPTC with a secondary reflector is 20% higher than the conventional collector system for a solar incidence angle of 2°. This work can effectively direct the choice of optimal secondary reflectors for SPTC under different design and operating conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Chinnasamy Subramaniyan & Jothirathinam Subramani & Balasubramanian Kalidasan & Natarajan Anbuselvan & Thangaraj Yuvaraj & Natarajan Prabaharan & Tomonobu Senjyu, 2021. "Investigation on the Optical Design and Performance of a Single-Axis-Tracking Solar Parabolic trough Collector with a Secondary Reflector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:17:p:9918-:d:628463
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Evangelos Bellos & Dimitrios N. Korres & Christos Tzivanidis, 2023. "Investigation of a Compound Parabolic Collector with a Flat Glazing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Kexin Zhang & Ying Su & Haiyu Wang & Qian Wang & Kai Wang & Yisen Niu & Jifeng Song, 2022. "Highly Concentrated Solar Flux of Large Fresnel Lens Using CCD Camera-Based Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Mohamed Allam & Mohamed Tawfik & Maher Bekheit & Emad El-Negiry, 2022. "Experimental Investigation on Performance Enhancement of Parabolic Trough Concentrator with Helical Rotating Shaft Insert," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-25, November.

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