Effects of Tilt Angles on the Thermal Performance of a Solar Parabolic Trough Collector System

Abstract

This paper studied the effects of tilt angles on the thermal performance of a solar parabolic collector system. This is the angle at which the beam solar radiation arriving from the sun will fall perpendicular to the solar collector surface. The quantitative assessments of radiation incident on a tilted plane are very important for designing solar collecting devices. The idea was to evaluate the thermal performance of the solar collector at the monthly optimal tilt angles in Bauchi (latitude 10°30' North and 10°00' East). Monthly mean daily global and diffuse components of the solar radiation for 10 years (January, 2009-December, 2019) were collected and used for the simulation using MATLAB software. Also used for the simulation are the developed energy balance equations for evaluation of thermal performances of solar collector. It was observed that, as the tilt angles decreases, both absorber tube and fluid temperatures together with the thermal efficiencies of the collector increased. Higher tilt angles were witnessed during January-February and September-December (20°-33°) and these months were having low temperatures of the absorber tube and the fluid (169°C-228°C and 130°C-117°C respectively). Low tilt angles between March to August (7°-16°) and with temperatures of the absorber tube and fluid between 220°C-235°C and 128°C-142°C respectively. Maximum thermal efficiency of 73% was obtained at the least optimal tilt angles (7°-8°). Thus, for efficient solar radiation collections, solar parabolic trough collector system should be maintained at optimal tilt angles between 7°-33° in Bauchi depending upon the seasonal variations.

Uma Revisão Sobre as Tecnologias De Dessalinização Térmica Associadas a Concentradores Solares Parabólicos

“…A caldeira a gás foi utilizada para garantir que o sistema solar térmico funcionasse durante 24 horas por dia. A capacidade de produção de água dessalinizada dessa usina era próxima de 67 m³ por dia Em suas análises, os pesquisadores Sintali et al (2014) desenvolveram um trabalho direcionado para a análise de um balanço de energia relacionando equações térmicas para então calcular a eficiência de um concentrador solar parabólico, considerando os ganhos e as perdas entre os componentes do concentrador provocados por fenômenos de transferência de calor.…”