Test of a Parabolic Trough System for Process Heat in a Climate with Low Direct Radiation

Light concrete shells for parabolic trough collectors – Conceptual design, prototype and proof of accuracy

“…Both mainly differ in size, geometry and bearing conditions. While the first one is inspired by the widely commercially used "EuroTrough" Nomenclature A projected area (m 2 ) C concentration ratio CSR circumsolar ratio (%) C correlation matrix c p,net coefficients of surface pressure d receiver diameter (mm) E c concrete Young's modulus (N/mm 2 ) f focal distance (m) f c concrete compression strength (N/mm 2 ) f ct concrete tensile strength (N/mm 2 ) f pt acceptance function DH random field fluctuation (mm) l collector length (m) m mass (t) n l number of nodes in longitudinal direction n sp number of nodes of the c-spline approximation q wind pressure (kN/m 2 ) t time t 0 shell thickness at centre (cm) t 1 shell thickness at the edges ( module (Geyer et al, 2002), the alternative corresponds to the significantly smaller IST PT-1 module, which is widely used in process heat applications in the US and has been tested for efficiency at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) (Hennecke et al, 2000). Due to the authors' original intention to use the existing test facility at DLR for demonstration, a small module similar to the IST PT-1 has been aimed for and finally manufactured to demonstrate that very thin and slender parabolic troughs made from high-strength concrete are feasible.…”