An extensive review of various technologies for enhancing the thermal and optical performances of parabolic trough collectors

Abed, Nabeel; Afgan, Imran

doi:10.1002/er.5271

Cited by 75 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 219 publications

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“…it requires significant attention to improve the overall performance. 33,34 After the optical analysis, another important aspect is the thermal analysis of PTSC. Various approaches have been considered by the researchers over a period of time, either individually or coupled with the optical analysis.…”

Section: Novelty Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The large aperture PTSC allows the design of a trough with lesser solar field piping, low parasitic consumption and lesser numbers of pylons, supporting structures, controls, drives and sensors which helps in reduction in bill of materials costs 32 . The optical performance of PTSC has not been carried out extensively as compared to thermal performance, and it requires significant attention to improve the overall performance 33,34 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Coupled optical and thermal analysis of large aperture parabolic trough solar collector

Malan

Kumar

2020

Int J Energy Res

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Summary Large‐aperture parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) has the potential to improve the performance of the solar field and also to reduce the capital cost of the power plant. In the present study, coupled flux distribution and thermal analysis of large aperture PTSC are presented by incorporating the limb darkening effect. MATLAB tool is used to develop the in‐house model to obtain the circumferential flux distribution on the absorber surface. The analyses are performed for different Sun shape models, the number of rays, aperture, rim angle, slope error, and receiver displacement on the flux distribution. The flux distribution for large aperture PTSC such as 7, 8, 9, and 10 m has also been studied with an available absorber diameter of 70, 80, 90 and 110 mm. Better manufacturing standards need to be incorporated to improve the performance of the large aperture PTSC with available receiver sizes. There is no significant effect on the intercept factor for the upward and downward displacement of larger aperture PTSC receiver, but the downward displacement of the conventional PTSC receiver drastically decreases the intercept factor. Based on the flux distribution analysis, a collector geometry having an aperture of 9 m with an absorber diameter of 110 mm has been considered for the thermal analysis. The effect of variation of the mass flow rate, aperture, and various heat transfer fluids are studied on the PTSC thermal performance. Liquid sodium offers the least thermal gradient around the absorber circumference, which leads to less deformation of the receiver from the focal length.

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Section: Novelty Statementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coupled optical and thermal analysis of large aperture parabolic trough solar collector

Malan

Kumar

2020

Int J Energy Res

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“…Density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the equivalent nanoparticle ( ρ np ) are obtained as 41 :

ρ_{np} = \frac{φ_{1} . ρ_{np - 1} . + φ_{2} . ρ_{np}}{φ},

C_{p, np} = \frac{φ_{1} . ρ_{np - 1} . C_{p, np - 1} + φ_{2} . ρ_{np - 2} . C_{p, np - 2}}{φ . ρ_{np}},

k_{np} = \frac{φ_{1} . k_{np - 1} + φ_{2} . k_{np - 2}}{φ} .

…”

Section: Thermodynamic Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Density, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the equivalent nanoparticle (ρ np ) are obtained as 41 :…”

Section: Heat Transfer Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fuqiang et al 40 presented a comprehensive review on the theoretical framework of PTC utilization in concentrated solar power technologies and the detailed derivation method of maximum theoretical concentration ratio of PTC. Abed and Afgan 41 documented a comprehensive review of different technologies to enhance the optical and thermal performance of PTC. The focus of their study was on the main technologies to increase the thermal performance; heat transfer fluid variation (nanofluids and hybrid nanofluids); use of inserts with different configurations; combination of the swirls generation and nanofluids in the same system).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thermal and thermodynamic comparison of smooth and convergent‐divergent parabolic trough absorber tubes with the application of mono and hybrid nanofluids

et al. 2020

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Summary The utilization of hybrid nanofluids is a promising technique in the high temperature solar applications specially, parabolic trough collector (PTC). The purpose of the current research is to analyze, evaluate and compare the performance of PTC (converging‐diverging absorber tube) using mono and hybrid nanofluids to increase the convective heat transfer coefficient. To obtain this objective, converging‐diverging tube with sine geometry is examined as it enhances the turbulence in the flow due to increase in the inner surface roughness. The performance of the absorber tube is assessed for hybrid nanofluid (1.5% MWCNTs/therminol‐VPI and 1.5% TiO2/therminol‐VPI) as well as mono nanofluids (3% MWCNTs and 3% TiO2)/therminol‐VPI at a wide range of inlet temperature ranges from 350 K to 600 K. In order to compare the results of the converging‐diverging tube, a smooth absorber tube is also investigated at the same design conditions. Furthermore, our study comprises of the overall performance investigation about the exergy analysis, pressure drop, pumping power required and performance evaluation criteria to investigate the comprehensive performance of the absorber tubes. The results of the study reveal that the use of modified geometry with hybrid nanofluids considerably improves the performance of the system due to the presence of swirls and turbulence that will reduce absorber surface temperature and ultimately the heat losses. More specifically, the thermal efficiency enhancement for the converging‐diverging absorber tube with hybrid nanofluids ranges from 3.61% to 5.27%, while it is varied from 1.70% to 1.91% for smooth tube using hybrid nanofluids. Reynolds number ranges from 12 000 to 90 300 for hybrid nanofluid, while it is from 14 000 to 97 600 for pure therminol‐VPI. Furthermore, mean enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient using converging‐diverging tube with hybrid, TiO2 and MWCNTs therminol‐VPI‐based nanofluids are 1.72%, 0.67% and 0.70%, respectively at a mass flow rate of 0.6 kg/s and an ambient temperature of 300 K. The converging‐diverging/hybrid case has the values of 1.47 and 1.33 for performance evaluation criteria I and II, while all other cases has significantly less values compared to hybrid nanofluids. The thermal efficiency enhancement has a pressure‐drop penalty that leads to higher pumping power requirement; however, this requirement is very small as compared to the useful energy gain.

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Power Generation (Net‐Zero Solutions)

2024

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An extensive review of various technologies for enhancing the thermal and optical performances of parabolic trough collectors

Cited by 75 publications

References 219 publications

Coupled optical and thermal analysis of large aperture parabolic trough solar collector

Coupled optical and thermal analysis of large aperture parabolic trough solar collector

Thermal and thermodynamic comparison of smooth and convergent‐divergent parabolic trough absorber tubes with the application of mono and hybrid nanofluids

Power Generation (Net‐Zero Solutions)

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