Design Optimization of a New Cavity Receiver for a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector.

ADIYAMAN, Gülden; ÇOLAK, Levent

The most critical parameter affecting the optical efficiency, the upper limit for the overall efficiency of a parabolic trough solar collector (PTC), is the net absorbed heat rate by the receiver on which solar beam radiation is concentrated. This study aims to propose and optimize a new cavity receiver for use in PTCs to increase optical efficiency. Three geometries (triangle, rectangle, and polygon), along with various aperture widths, heights, and positions of the cavity receiver, are considered optimization parameters. A design of experiments (DoE) approach is used to evaluate the effects of these parameters on the absorbed radiation heat rate by the receiver. SolTrace is utilized to investigate these effects through optical analysis. The results indicate that the optimum cavity geometry is polygonal, with the cavity depth and aperture equal to 0.05 m. Moreover, it is found that the most influential parameter is the position of the cavity receiver, with the optimum position being at the focal line of the parabolic concentrator. The highest absorbed radiation rate by the cavity receiver and the optical efficiency of the PTC are 3241.99 W and 81.05%, respectively, for the optimum cavity receiver design.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY design optimization; PARABOLIC troughs; SOLAR receivers; SOLAR collectors; SOLAR radiation; RESPONSE surfaces (Statistics); EXPERIMENTAL design; HELIOSPHERE; PARABOLIC reflectors

Gazi Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Dergisi Part C: Tasarım ve Teknoloji, 2024, Vol 12, Issue 3, p451

2147-9526

Academic Journal

10.29109/gujsc.1491295