Experimental and Simulated Performance Analysis of Parabolic Trough Collector

Abstract

In this report comparative simulated and experimental heat transfer analysis (HTA) of Parabolic Trough Concentrator (PTC) has been presented by varying operational parameters and using three different configurations of receiver tube. The considered three configurations are i. evacuated absorber tube, ii. Lost vacuum receiver tube with air in the annulus, iii. Bare absorber with broken envelope. Water is used as heat transfer fluid (HTF). The report describes in detail combined conduction, convection and radiation mode of heat transfers in heat collecting element (HCE) for the considered three cases. Computational model has been implemented in MATLAB software and then numerical analysis technique is applied for HTA of receiver tubes. Performance parameters of PTC (heat loss, heat gain, outlet temperature and efficiency) are assessed by evaluating optical model and energy balance model for each absorber case considering meteorological conditions of Islamabad. For fixed geometrical considerations, effect of varying operating parameters (T1,M  , Wv, Tamb, Aapert, D1 ) and boundary conditions on comparative performance of PTC has been studied. Based on simulation results mini PTC is fabricated and then results are verified experimentally. Manual tracking system was designed to track sun with maximum precision. Under same meteorological conditions performance of PTC is superior by using perfect vacuum tube than other two receiver configurations.