Numerical Analysis for Thermal Design of a Paraboloidal Solar Concentrating Collector

Abstract

A paraboloidal solar concentrating collector in a non-planar configuration using reflecting materials of reflectance is 0.7 has been thermally designed and developed and at a 1metre focal distance in conjunction with a reverse flat plate absorber with black board paint (both selective and non selective coating) theoretically. To study optical and thermal performance tests like stagnation temperature (T_ps), water temperature (T_w), plate temperature (T_p), thermal efficiency test (X_c), optical efficiency test (X_o), Heat transfer coefficient from surface to water (U), geometrical concentration ratio (C) and overall heat loss coefficient (U₂) has been studied. The concentrator is placed such that all incident parallel rays of light intercepted by the concentrator aperture are reflected to a common focus. In this case the concentrator parabolic in shape. This communication presents the thermal design analysis of a CR- system. The results of some typical numerical calculations are shown graphically and their significance is discussed.

Key words: Concentrating collector; mass flow rate; solar and thermal conversion.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijns.v1i3.8824

International Journal of Natural Sciences (2011), 1(3):68-74