A Study Of An Optimum Parabolic Trough Concentrator Design For Possible Power Generation In Malaysia
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Date
2004-06
Authors
Mahinder Singh, Balbir Singh
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Abstract
The' aim of this research work is to design an optimum parabolic trough concentrator,
where the optimum design parameters are identified by using simulation method. A new
parabolic trough concentrator model was proposed. The new model, based on a standard
model of a parabolic trough concentrator, has back copper tubes attached to the
parabolic concentrator. The back copper tubes are expected to pick up the surplus heat
on the iron concentrator due to incoming solar radiation that is not reflected.
Simulations were carried out by using software programmed specifically for this
research work and by using the outcomes from simulation, an experimental new model
was fabricated based on optimum design parameters. The optimisers that were identified
by simulations are the rim angle, concentratiQn ratio, acceptance half-angle and
receiver's absorber tube size. The optimum value for rim angle is 90° and concentration
ratio is 10. The acceptance half-angles falls in the range between 1.55° and 1.72°, where
the optimum diameter for the receiver's absorber tube range between 27 mm and
30 mm. A rim angle of 90° can be obtained when the parabolic depth becomes equal to
the focus point. The receiver's absorber tube diameter size was 30 mm, where for the
concentration ratio to be 10, the width was calculated as 1.0 m and depth and focus
point was set at 0.25 m. The length of the concentrator at 1.83 m was determined by
using the thermal module simulation and was also subjected to the budget availability.
The simulation software was used to evaluate the performance of the new design with
the optimum parameters by using the meteorological data for Bayan Lepas, Ipoh,
Cameron Highlands, Kuantan and Senai. The maximum instantaneous simulated outlet
fluid temperature achieved is 133.8 °C for Ipoh. The maximum instantaneous
experimental outlet temperature achieved on the 6th July 2003 by using the prototype
model was ( 143.8 ± 0.5 ) °C, at an average direct and diffuse solar insolation of
2.57 MJ/m2 and 0.81 MJ/m2 respectively, with a mass flowrate of 0.01 kg/s and ambient
temperature of ( 31.3 ± 0.5 ) °C. The performance of the model with and without the
back tubes was compared where the difference between average values was
(11.8 ± 4.0 )OC, which was approximately ( 14.0 ± 5.0 ) % increase in the outlet fluid
temperature. The working fluid used in this research work is saturated water.
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Keywords
Optimum parabolic trough concentrator , by using simulation method