Thermal performance enhancement in the receiver part of solar parabolic trough collectors

Abstract

In this study, CFD analysis for thermal performance of absorber tube with inner helical axial fins which is used in solar PTC collector is considered and compared. Three-dimensional numerical model simulations were performed using flow and heat transfer interfaces in COMSOL Multiphysics software. Water is used as heat transfer fluid and copper was chosen as receiver tube material. Sun's radiation is considered as constant at around (Io=1000 W/m2) and concentration ratio is C=60. Inlet velocity of heat transfer fluid is changed from 0.2 m⁄s to 0.24 m⁄s in order to define its magnitude with the length of absorber tube. Electrical analog method is utilized for mathematical modeling to evaluate heat losses through the absorber tube. Variations of surface and fluid temperature are determined to investigate the receiver which shows better performance in the given boundary conditions. In the discussion section of the article, temperature variation of the receiver tube and HTF during this process is presented.