Thermal Analysis of the Performance of Linear Fresnel Solar Concentrator

Abstract

The Linear Fresnel Concentrator (LFC) took a significant attention in the recent decades from the researchers and the stakeholders. This attention can be attributed to possessing this type of concentrator several features enable it to overcome some of the problems facing other types of concentrators. Numerical simulation for the LFC along one year has been carried out for a given design. The results illustrate the effect of the Incidence Angle Modifier (IAM) and the operating parameters such as, the fluid mass flow rate and the inlet temperature on the thermal performance of the LFC. The results show a significant effect of the daily and seasonal changing in the incidence angle of the direct radiation on the IAM consequently the thermal performance and the collector efficiency. Maximum output thermal energy of about 40 to 96 KW was recorded for December and June respectively. This paper presents a numerical model that can be used for design optimization to get the maximum efficiency.