On the effects of windbreaks on the aerodynamic loads over parabolic solar troughs

Abstract

Parabolic reflectors, also known as parabolic troughs, are widely used in solar thermal power plants. This kind of power plants is usually located on desert climates, where the combined action of wind and dust can be of paramount importance. In some cases it becomes necessary to protect these devices from the joined wind and sand action, which is normally accomplished through solid windbreaks. In this paper the results of a wind tunnel test campaign, of a scale parabolic trough row having different windward windbreaks, are reported. The windbreaks herein considered consist of a solid wall with an upper porous fence. Different geometrical configurations, varying the solid wall height and the separation between the parabolic trough row and the windbreak have been considered. From the measured time series, both the mean and peak values of the aerodynamic loads were determined. As it would be expected, mean aerodynamic drag, as well as peak values, decrease as the distance between the windbreak and the parabolic increases, and after a threshold value, such drag loads increase with the distance.

Numerical study of the impact of windblown sand particles on a high-speed train

“…The existing studies investigate the penalties caused on airfoils by heavy rain (because of the liquid film) (Valentine and Decker, 1995) or the effect of dust on wind turbines and solar thermal collectors (because of increasing roughness) (Torres García et al, 2014); the nature of these problems are therefore unsuitable for comparison with the present work.…”

Parabolic trough solar collectors: A general overview of technology, industrial applications, energy market, modeling, and standards

“…Like Hosoya et al, Randall et al [27] conducted a similar experimental study, but the collector was tested under different geometric parameters. The effect of wind loads using windbreaks in PTCs was estimated according to Torres-García et al [28]. Mier-Torrecilla et al [29] conducted a CFD analysis to obtain the wind loads in a single model PTC under different yaw and pitch angles, and the results were compared with wind-tunnel experiments.…”

Wind barriers optimization for minimizing collector mirror soiling in a parabolic trough collector plant

“…However in sandy places like deserts, the fences are replaced by solid walls so that they can act as wind barrier and dust protection as well. However, studies on the effects of wind barriers on the aerodynamic loads and/or particle deposition in the PTC field are rather scarce [25,26]. Presence of a wind barrier causes the formation of a separation bubble that deflects the wind to flow above the mirror field and consequently, move the airborne particles to a height so that they deposit beyond the solar field.…”