IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v150y2018icp451-467.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A new algorithm for obtaining the critical tube diameter and intercept factor of parabolic trough solar collectors

Author

Listed:
  • Zou, Bin
  • Yao, Yang
  • Jiang, Yiqiang
  • Yang, Hongxing

Abstract

A new algorithm for obtaining the critical tube diameter and intercept factor of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTCs) under the condition of tube alignment error has been developed theoretically, which, compared with the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing (MCRT) method, reduces the computing time remarkably. The results produced by the proposed method comply very well with the results obtained by MCRT. The critical tube diameters for different alignment errors can be precisely calculated using the algorithm, which can also be used to explain well the variation of optical efficiency. Effects of structural parameters on the optical performance are also discussed comprehensively. It is revealed that the offset direction that is perpendicular to the focus-edge connection line is most likely to cause rays-escaping. There exists an aperture width range (and also focal length range) in which the optical efficiency decreases with increasing offset angle, which is contrary to the conclusion presented in previous literature that the effects of X-direction offset (a = 0°) is greater than that in Y-direction (a = 90°). The proposed algorithm establishes the foundation for further geometric study on the coupling effects of multi-errors on PTCs’ performance, and can also be used for quick calculation and analysis in practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Zou, Bin & Yao, Yang & Jiang, Yiqiang & Yang, Hongxing, 2018. "A new algorithm for obtaining the critical tube diameter and intercept factor of parabolic trough solar collectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 451-467.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:150:y:2018:i:c:p:451-467
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.12.065
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217321035
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2017.12.065?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Raisul Islam, M. & Sumathy, K. & Ullah Khan, Samee, 2013. "Solar water heating systems and their market trends," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 1-25.
    2. Hachicha, A.A. & Rodríguez, I. & Capdevila, R. & Oliva, A., 2013. "Heat transfer analysis and numerical simulation of a parabolic trough solar collector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 581-592.
    3. Wang, Zhangyuan & Yang, Wansheng & Qiu, Feng & Zhang, Xiangmei & Zhao, Xudong, 2015. "Solar water heating: From theory, application, marketing and research," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 68-84.
    4. Kalogirou, Soteris A, 2002. "Parabolic trough collectors for industrial process heat in Cyprus," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 813-830.
    5. Cabrera, F.J. & Fernández-García, A. & Silva, R.M.P. & Pérez-García, M., 2013. "Use of parabolic trough solar collectors for solar refrigeration and air-conditioning applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 103-118.
    6. Kalogirou, Soteris, 1998. "Use of parabolic trough solar energy collectors for sea-water desalination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(2), pages 65-88, June.
    7. Cheng, Z.D. & He, Y.L. & Cui, F.Q., 2013. "A new modelling method and unified code with MCRT for concentrating solar collectors and its applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 686-698.
    8. He, Ya-Ling & Xiao, Jie & Cheng, Ze-Dong & Tao, Yu-Bing, 2011. "A MCRT and FVM coupled simulation method for energy conversion process in parabolic trough solar collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 976-985.
    9. Xu, Xinhai & Vignarooban, K. & Xu, Ben & Hsu, K. & Kannan, A.M., 2016. "Prospects and problems of concentrating solar power technologies for power generation in the desert regions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1106-1131.
    10. Zhao, Dongming & Xu, Ershu & Wang, Zhifeng & Yu, Qiang & Xu, Li & Zhu, Lingzhi, 2016. "Influences of installation and tracking errors on the optical performance of a solar parabolic trough collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 197-212.
    11. Cheng, Z.D. & He, Y.L. & Cui, F.Q. & Du, B.C. & Zheng, Z.J. & Xu, Y., 2014. "Comparative and sensitive analysis for parabolic trough solar collectors with a detailed Monte Carlo ray-tracing optical model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 559-572.
    12. Fernández-García, A. & Zarza, E. & Valenzuela, L. & Pérez, M., 2010. "Parabolic-trough solar collectors and their applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(7), pages 1695-1721, September.
    13. Liang, Hongbo & You, Shijun & Zhang, Huan, 2016. "Comparison of three optical models and analysis of geometric parameters for parabolic trough solar collectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 37-47.
    14. Tian, Y. & Zhao, C.Y., 2013. "A review of solar collectors and thermal energy storage in solar thermal applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 538-553.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Halimi, Mohammed & El Amrani, Aumeur & Messaoudi, Choukri, 2021. "New experimental investigation of the circumferential temperature uniformity for a PTC absorber," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    2. Yılmaz, İbrahim Halil & Mwesigye, Aggrey, 2018. "Modeling, simulation and performance analysis of parabolic trough solar collectors: A comprehensive review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 135-174.
    3. Wu, Shaobing & Tang, Runsheng & Wang, Changmei, 2021. "Numerical calculation of the intercept factor for parabolic trough solar collector with secondary mirror," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yılmaz, İbrahim Halil & Mwesigye, Aggrey, 2018. "Modeling, simulation and performance analysis of parabolic trough solar collectors: A comprehensive review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 135-174.
    2. Ajbar, Wassila & Parrales, A. & Huicochea, A. & Hernández, J.A., 2022. "Different ways to improve parabolic trough solar collectors’ performance over the last four decades and their applications: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    3. Huang, Zhen & Li, Zeng-Yao & Tao, Wen-Quan, 2017. "Numerical study on combined natural and forced convection in the fully-developed turbulent region for a horizontal circular tube heated by non-uniform heat flux," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 2194-2208.
    4. Zou, Bin & Jiang, Yiqiang & Yao, Yang & Yang, Hongxing, 2019. "Impacts of non-ideal optical factors on the performance of parabolic trough solar collectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1150-1165.
    5. Cheng, Ze-Dong & He, Ya-Ling & Qiu, Yu, 2015. "A detailed nonuniform thermal model of a parabolic trough solar receiver with two halves and two inactive ends," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 139-147.
    6. Liang, Hongbo & Fan, Man & You, Shijun & Zheng, Wandong & Zhang, Huan & Ye, Tianzhen & Zheng, Xuejing, 2017. "A Monte Carlo method and finite volume method coupled optical simulation method for parabolic trough solar collectors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 60-68.
    7. Song, Jifeng & Tong, Kai & Luo, Geng & Li, Lei, 2017. "Influence of non-ideal optical factors in actual engineering on the safety and stability of a parabolic trough collector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1293-1301.
    8. Yang, Bin & Liu, Shuaishuai & Zhang, Ruirui & Yu, Xiaohui, 2022. "Influence of reflector installation errors on optical-thermal performance of parabolic trough collectors based on a MCRT - FVM coupled model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1006-1017.
    9. Sandá, Antonio & Moya, Sara L. & Valenzuela, Loreto, 2019. "Modelling and simulation tools for direct steam generation in parabolic-trough solar collectors: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Zou, Bin & Dong, Jiankai & Yao, Yang & Jiang, Yiqiang, 2016. "An experimental investigation on a small-sized parabolic trough solar collector for water heating in cold areas," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 396-407.
    11. Fan, Man & You, Shijun & Xia, Junbao & Zheng, Wandong & Zhang, Huan & Liang, Hongbo & Li, Xianli & Li, Bojia, 2018. "An optimized Monte Carlo ray tracing optical simulation model and its applications to line-focus concentrating solar collectors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 769-781.
    12. Hachicha, Ahmed Amine & Yousef, Bashria A.A. & Said, Zafar & Rodríguez, Ivette, 2019. "A review study on the modeling of high-temperature solar thermal collector systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 280-298.
    13. Hou, Yu-tian & Yu, Xiao-hui & Yang, Bin & Liu, Shuai-shuai & Qi, Yao, 2023. "Optical performance investigation on flat receiver for parabolic trough solar collector based on the MCRT method," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 525-536.
    14. Liu, Shuaishuai & Yang, Bin & Hou, Yutian & Yu, Xiaohui, 2022. "Effects of geometric configurations on the thermal-mechanical properties of parabolic trough receivers based on coupled optical-thermal-stress model," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 929-942.
    15. Majedul Islam & Prasad Yarlagadda & Azharul Karim, 2018. "Effect of the Orientation Schemes of the Energy Collection Element on the Optical Performance of a Parabolic Trough Concentrating Collector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-20, December.
    16. Zheng, Zhang-Jing & Li, Ming-Jia & He, Ya-Ling, 2017. "Thermal analysis of solar central receiver tube with porous inserts and non-uniform heat flux," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1152-1161.
    17. Cheng, Ze-Dong & Zhao, Xue-Ru & He, Ya-Ling & Qiu, Yu, 2018. "A novel optical optimization model for linear Fresnel reflector concentrators," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PA), pages 486-499.
    18. Cheng, Ze-Dong & Men, Jing-Jing & He, Ya-Ling & Tao, Yu-Bing & Ma, Zhao, 2019. "Comprehensive study on novel parabolic trough solar receiver-reactors of gradually-varied porosity catalyst beds for hydrogen production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1766-1781.
    19. Fernández-García, Aránzazu & Valenzuela, Loreto & Zarza, Eduardo & Rojas, Esther & Pérez, Manuel & Hernández-Escobedo, Quetzalcoatl & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2018. "SMALL-SIZED parabolic-trough solar collectors: Development of a test loop and evaluation of testing conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 401-415.
    20. Cheng, Ze-Dong & Zhao, Xue-Ru & He, Ya-Ling, 2018. "Novel optical efficiency formulas for parabolic trough solar collectors: Computing method and applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 682-697.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:150:y:2018:i:c:p:451-467. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.