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Principles and Performance of Solar Energy Thermal Systems: A Web Course by

V.V.Satyamurty
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MODULE 16 Lecture No: 23

Concentrating Collectors
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In this Module 16, Lecture Nos. 21, 22, 23 and 24 deal with

Lecture 23
16.4 THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS

Lecture 23

16.4 THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF CONCENTRATING COLLECTORS

Thermal analysis of concentrating collectors is similar to that of flat plate collectors. It is, however
necessary to obtain appropriate expressions for F’, FR, UL and optical parameters. The additional optical
parameters that come into the picture for reflecting concentrators are the reflectivity of the reflector and the
interceptance factor  defined as the fraction of the specularly reflected radiation intercepted by the receiver
tube. Fig.16.3 illustrates the concept of the interceptance factor.

I(w)  I (w)dw
y A


 I (w)dw


A B
-w +w
Fig. 16.3 Interceptance factor
  is the transmittance – absorptance product for the receiver, outer tube combination for direct
radiation. The overall heat loss coefficient, considering convection and radiation from the surface and
conduction from the surface, UL is given by,

U L  hw  hr  U cond (16.20)

where hr is the radiative heat transfer coefficient given by,

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3
hr  4  T (16.21)

Since the heat flux in a concentrating system may be high, the heat transfer resistance from the outer
surface of the receiving tube to the fluid should include the tube wall. The overall heat transfer coefficient (
based on the outside tube diameter ) from the surroundings to the fluid is,


U o  1 U L  Do h fi Di   Do ln Do Di  2k  
1
(16.22)

Tp Tc
1
2
dx
Tf Tf + dT f
r

1 Absorber Tube
Concentrator
2 Glass Cover
w

Fig. 16.4 A linear concentrator

Refer to Fig. 16.4 where a linear concentrator is shown. The useful energy gain per unit of collector
length, qu' ,

qu'  Aa S L   ArU L L Tr  Ta  (16.23)

where Aa is the unshaded area of the aperture of the concentrator and Ar is the area of the receiver. In terms
of the energy transfer to the fluid at local temperature Tf,

 Ar L Tr  T f 
qu' 
Do h fi Di   Do 2k  lnDo Di 
(16.24)

Eliminating Tr from Eqs. 16.23 and 16.24,


q u'  F '  Aa L  S   Aa Ar U L T f  Ta   (16.25)

where the collector efficiency factor is,

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F' 
1 U L 
1 U L  Do h fi Di   Do lnDo Di  2k  (16.26)

Total useful energy gain Qu is,

Qu  Aa FR S   Ar Aa U L Ti  Ta  (16.27)

The flow factor F '' is related to FR and F’ by,

F ''  FR F '  mC p  A U
r L   
F ' 1  exp  ArU L F ' mC p  (16.28)

The absorbed energy S per unit aperture area is now given by,

S  I b Rb W  D     b  I b Rb Do  b  W (16.29)

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