The purpose of this research project was to develop a software simulation of a solar parabolic trough for use in the design of a solar thermal power plant. In order to determine the optimum size of a parabolic trough to power a solar thermal power plant system in Thailand, a simulation is necessary to determine both long-term operating performance and short term local temperatures in the system. The simulation described in this paper was created for this purpose. It can evaluate both water and high temperature oil as the heat transfer fluid (HTF), in addition to the ability to vary many of the operating parameters of the system. The simulation was created to be a tool to determine the optimum parameters for the parabolic trough as the primary input to a power plant. It is necessary due to the many parameters that characterize a solar parabolic trough system, which must be considered when determining the output of the system. The simulation was constructed using methods from widely accepted reference materials and assumptions to the best ability.
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