Optical Modeling and Thermal Behavior of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector in the Algerian Sahara

Abstract

This study is concerned with transfer of solar energy to thermal energy by using a parabolic trough collector (PTC) in the Algerian Sahara region. The water used a heat transfer fluid. A mathematical model drawn from the energy balance equation was applied on the absorber tubes. Finite difference method was used to solve the non-linear system resulting from the numerical analysis of mathematical equations. Matlab was used as a programming language. This study was able to get the variation of the optical performance, the thermal efficiency, the outlet temperature of fluid, the temperature of the absorber tubes, the glass's temperature and the coefficient of thermal losses for the concentrator. With the results obtained, the thermal efficiencies had spent 80% to up to 82%, and outlet temperature fluid has exceeded 515k. The results obtained in this paper are an honorable and very encouraging for investment in this field of clean technology.

Performance Analysis of a Solar-Driven Ejector Air Conditioning System Under El-Oued Climatic Conditions, Algeria

“…It is known that the exploiting costs of renewable energies are very high now, so the production costs and the efficiency of the product must be agreed in order to have an efficient device with an acceptable price. For the solar system with parabolic trough solar collectors (PTCs), the PTC designing cost is high compared to LFRs because it relies on the shaping of the glass to obtain the parabolic form of the reflecting mirror [23,[37][38][39]. On the other hand, the use of flat reflector mirrors will significantly reduce the manufacturing cost of the linear solar reflectors (LFRs) [40,41].…”

Optical Numerical Investigation of a Solar Power Plant of Parabolic Trough Collectors

“…As shown in Figures (2 and 3), design errors are represented in the geometric losses. The optical performance of the parabolic trough collector varies according to the location and time of use, because climatic conditions have a direct impact on the efficiency of these collectors [71,72]. Therefore, the choice of site for the construction of solar power plants is an important factor for good performance of these power plants.…”

Brief on Solar Concentrators: Differences and Applications

“…Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTCs) are long parallel rows of curved glass mirrors concentrating beam radiation onto a receiver pipe located along its focal line [18,50,53]. The first practical experience with the parabolic trough concentrator dates back to 1870, when engineer John Ericsson designed and built a PTC collector with a surface area of 3.25 m² that was driving a small 373 W engine [24,54].…”