Al- satil Journal 81

Studying the feasibility of the compound

parabolic conncentrator for solarcooling
Ass. Prof. Dr. Abdullatif S. Zgalei
Ass. Prof. Dr. Omar M. Mahgiub
G. Eng. Khaled E. Albahloul

Abstract:
The energy demand for cooling and air-conditioning has increased heavily the last
years. In order to reduce the electricity consumption, solar cooling promises to be an
attractive application. To operate some these kinds of systems, a relatively high
temperature (90-165oC) must be provided for efficient operation. However, because of
the relatively low temperatures attainable when flat plate collectors are used,
concentration of solar radiation becomes necessary. One of the most attention solar
concentrators is the Compound parabolic Concentrators (CPC). Thus in this paper the
CPC will be studied to be suitable for solar cooling application. For practical
application, the system should be studied under outdoor conditions. Therefore the
feasibility of non-evacuated CPC system for unsteady state is analyzed under outdoor
conditions, where the wind velocity and ambient temperature variations are considered
depending on an actual data which are taken from Meteorological Station in Misurata
Libya. Simulation results showed that at a design in which the outlet fluid temperatu-res
to be 150oC, the system recorded a reasonable efficiency along the year operation at
concentration ratio Ca = 5. Therefore, using the CPC with cooling system, and with this
concentration ratio, is a good application and promise for use.

1. Introduction:
The energy demand for cooling and air-conditioning has increased heavily during
the last years. This increase considers the responsible for a large rise of the electricity
require due to the use of electrically driven vapor compression machines. Operation of
cooling system by energy from solar collector and storage systems is the commonest
approach to solar cooling [1]. Providing the heat input from a solar collector, has
obvious appeal for air conditioning applications, where the need for cooling and the


Al-fateh University – Faculty of Engineering – Tripoli – Libya.

Misurata University – Faculty of Engineering – Misurata – Libya.
 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 82

availability of solar radiations are approxiately in [2,3]. To operate this kind of systems
a relatively high temperature working fluid (90 - 165oC) must be provided for efficient
operation in Refs [4,5]. Because the relatively low temperatures attainable when flat
plate collectors are used, therefore the concentration of solar radiation becomes
necessary. One of the best known solar concentrators is the CPC, because it guarantees
the highest possible concentrator for any angular acceptance (tracking requirement) [6],
and there is no need for continuously tracking; only seasonal adjustments are necessary
to provide intermediate range of temperature. Thus in this paper the CPC will be studied
to convenient for cooling application. On the other hand for practical application, the
performance of the system should be studied under outdoor conditions. However the
studies of the CPC system under outdoor conditions are rarely found. Moreover these
studies consider some outdoor conditions, the outdoor wind velocity as a constant value.
So, for studying the thermal behavior of the CPC system in this paper, these parameters
are dealt as varied values along the day depending on an actual data which are taken
from Meteorological Station in Misurata, Libya (latitude 32.41oN).

2. The CPC System Description:

A schematic diagram of the
CPC under analysis is illustrated
in Figure (1). In this figure the
CPC includes a compound
parabolic reflecting surface
whose line focus is a cylindrical
copper receiver surrounded by a
glass envelope. The receiver is
used to receive energy which
convered with a selective surface
of high solar absorptance (αr )
and low emittance (εr), whilst
Aluminum sheet with its high conductivity and high reflectance (ρm) is chosen as
reflector material. There is a gap between the receiver and the reflector to avoid the reflector
from being as a fin conducting heat from the receiver [1]. Water used as heat transfers medium
flowing through the receiver tube. To suppress convection losses from the receiver a glass
envelope is placed around it. A transparent cover is fitted to protect the reflector surface from
deterioration; and also it reduces the rates of heat loss from the receiver envelope configuration.
On the other hand to reduce heat losses to the ambient the underside of the reflector is covered in
insulation.

3. Mathematical Model of the System:

Numerical method and simulation, which made by using the thermal energy balance
method, and used to analyze the thermal behavior of non-evacuated full-CPC solar
collectors, which operates at unsteady state under outdoor conditions. The mathematical
model includes all equations and necessary correlations to predict the terms in the
energy balance. The purpose of this section is to present a detailed thermal analysis of
the CPC collector based on the grid points as shown in Fig (2).
 Al- satil Journal 83

Various assumptions are made

in order to simplify the thermal
analysis of the system. They can be
explained in the following:
• The diffuse insulation on the
aperture cover is isotropic.
• The properties of the CPC
components are independent
of temperature.
• Heat flows through the cover and the envelope is one-dimensional with
disregarded temperature drop across their thicknesses.
• The CPC is ideal and free from fabrication errors.

Since the CPC achieves the maximum concentration ratio, this allows the
geometric concentration ratio of the CPC trough be expressed as [2].
1 A
Ca = = c (1)
sin θ a Ar
• The irradiation on the receiver is uniformly.
• The sky can be treated as a blackbody source for infrared radiation at an
equivalent sky temperature.
• The ground reflected radiation is ignored in this study.
The inlet fluid temperature is equal to ambient temperature. The energy balance
method is based on subdividing the medium into a sufficient number of volume
elements (nodes), and then applying an energy balance on each element. Consider
transient one-dimensional heat conduction in the CPC solar collector of length L, the
number of nodes is specified to be M and numbered as 1, 2, …, M in X-direction, as
shown in Fig (2).
The energy balance for the ith node is considered during a small time interval Δt,
during this time interval the temperatures of the M nodes are assumed to remain
constant. The application of energy balance of the receiver tube, the working fluid, the
envelope tube and the cover segment, yield the following.
3.1 The energy balance for the receiving tube:
For each one of the control volumes of the receiver tube as indicated in Fig (3), the
thermal energy balance is written as follow:
Qcondi-1 + Qcond,i+1 + Qabs,r – Qloss-r-c - Qui
 Trjm+1 − Trjm 
= d r Vrj Cr   (2)
 ∆ t 
 
Where Qcond,j-1 the conductive heat
transfer between elements i-1 and i, and
 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 84

Qcond,i+1 the conductive heat transfer between elements i+1 and i, which given by:

Qcondi-1 = kr x π (r 2 − r 2 ) Tr ,i −1 − Tr ,i 
m+1 m
(3)
r ,i  
∆x
r ,n
 

Qcondi+1 = kr x π (r 2 − r 2 ) Tr ,i +1 − Tr ,i 
n+1 n

r ,i 
 (4)
r ,n
∆x 
 
Where kr, dr, Vr,I, Cr are thermal conductivity, density, volume and specific heat of
the receiver element, respectively. The superscript n is used as index of time steps, with
n = 0 corresponding to the specified initial condition.
Qloss-r-c, the heat losses (convection and radiation) for the element from the receiver
to the envelope, which given by:
Qloss-r-c = ( hc,i-c + hr,i-c )(2πrr,nΔx) ( T r n, i − T c n, j ) (5)
Qabs,r is the solar radiation (beam and diffuse) absorber by receiver element, where it
calculated from:
Qabs,r = (qbr +qdr) x (2πrr,nΔx) (6)
qbr , qdr , the amount of beam and diffuse radiation absorbed by the receiver based
on a unit receiver area, respectively, which calculated from Hsieh [7].
Qu,i is the useful heat transferred to the working fluid for element i, where it is given
by:
Qu,i = Urf (2πrr,nΔx)( ( T
n
r ,i − T n
f ,i ) (7)

Trn,i , Tfn,i , Tcn,i are receiver, working fluid and envelope temperature respectively,
for element i at time n. On the basis of a unit receiver area, the total heat transfer
coefficient between the receiver and the working fluid (Urf) can be formulated as
follows [7]:
− 1

Urf =  r r , n ln( rr ,n / r r , i )
+
A r , n

 (8)
 k r h f A r , i 
Where rr,o and rr,i are the outside and inside radius of the receiver tube, kr
conductivity of the material of the receiver tube, hf the convection heat transfer between
the inside surface of the receiver tube and the working fluid, Ar,o and Ar,I are the outside
and inside area of the receiver tube respectively.
n +1
The equation (2) can be solved for the new receiver temperature Tr , i for this
element to give
Trn,i+1 = a1∆t (qb,r + qd ,r ) + b1∆tTrn,i+1 + b1∆tTrn,i−1 + c1∆tTrn,1 + d1∆tTfn,1 +
(9)
(1 − (2b1 + c1 + d1 )∆t )T n
r ,i
 Al- satil Journal 85

Where
2rr ,o kr 2r (h + h ) 2rr ,oU r , f
a1 = , b1 = , c1 = r ,o c,r −2c r2,r −c , and d1 =
dr Cr (rr ,o − rr ,i )
2 2
dr Cr ∆x2
dr Cr (rr ,o − rr ,i ) dr Cr (rr2,o − rr2,i )

In Eqs.(9) a general relation has been developed for each interior node receiver. By
applying the energy balance on the boundary nodes, its equations will be getting.
Consider adiabatic boundary conditions for the first and latest control volume. Note that
the length of these control volumes are (Δx /2), thus the equation (9) can be re-written
as:
For the first control volume (i=1)
Tr n,i+1 = a 1 ∆ t ( q b , r + q d , r ) + 2 b1 ∆ tTr n, 2 +
(10)
c1 ∆ tTcn,1 + d 1 ∆ tTr n,1 + (1 − ( 2b1 + c1 + d 1 ) ∆ t )Trn,1
For the latest control volume (i=M)
Trn, M+1 = a1∆ t ( qb , r + q d , r ) + 2b1∆tTrn, M −1 + c1∆ tTcn, M + d1∆ tT fn, M +
(11)
(1 − ( 2b1 + c1 + d1 ) ∆t )Trn, M
Note that, the calculation of radiation heat transfer coefficients in this model are
based on the Stefan-Boltzmann law, also the convection heat transfer coefficients are
described in elsewhere [8].
3.2 The energy balance for the working fluid:
The fluid flow inside the receiver tube is
considered transient and one dimensional,
i.e., in each cross sectional area of the fluid
stream, average values of velocity, pressure
and temperature are used. Considering
variation in the flow direction and time, the
thermal energy balance for each of the
control volumes (See Fig (4) is:

rβCf Tn − rβC Tn + Q = d V C  Tf ,i −Tf ,i 

n+1 n
(12)
f ,i −1 f f ,i f  
 ∆t 
f f ,i u,i

,
Where df, Cf, rβ = m and Vf,I are density, Specific heat, flow rate and volume of
working fluid element respectively.
n +1
Then the new fluid temperature Tf ,i is given as:

T fn,+i 1 = a 2 ∆ tTr n, i + b2 ∆ tT fn, i − 1 + (1 − ( a 2 + b2 ) ∆ t )T fn, i (13)

 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 86

2rr ,oU r , f rβ
Where a1 = , b2 =
d f C f rr2,i ) d iπ ( rr2,i ) ∆x
Because of considering the inlet fluid temperature Ti is a constant the inlet boundary
condition for the first control volume is Tf ,1 = Ti for any time.
n

n +1
By the same method the new envelope temperature Tf , i , and the new cover
n +1
temperature Tc, i for element i are given by:
Tcn,i+1 = b3 ∆t ( qb,c + qd ,c ) + c3 ∆tTrn,i + d 3 ∆tTcn,i
(14)
+ (1 − ( c3 + d 3 ) ∆t )T n
c ,i

Tcn,i+1 = a 4 ∆ t ( qb , c + q d , c ) + c 4 ∆ tTrn, i + d 4 ∆ tTa + e 4 ∆ tTs (15)

+ (1 − ( c 4 + d 3 + e4 ) ∆ t )Tcn,i
Where,
2
a = , b 3 = a 3 rr ,o ,
( r r 2, o − r r 2, i )
3
d cC c

c 3 = b3 c 3 = b3 ( hc,r − c + hr, f − c ),
d 3 = a 3 rr ,o ( h c ,r − c + hr, f − c )
2 π r ro 2 π r ro
a 4 = ,b4 = ,
d c C c t cW d c C c t cW
c4 = c 4 = b 4 ( h c,r − c + hr, f − c ),
hr, f − o hr, f − s
d 4 = , e4 =
d cC ctc d cC ctc
qb,c , qd,c , qb,c, qd,c are the amount of beam and diffuse radiation absorbed by the
envelope and cover based on a unit receiver area respectively[7]. Note that the
conduction heat transfer between the elements is neglected because the envelope and
cover have a low thermal conductivity (glass).
3.3 The thermal efficiency:
When the receiver of the CPC collector receives certain quantity of solar energy
most of this energy will be transported to the fluid working to be carried away as useful
energy. However losses of energy to the surroundings by different modes of heat
transfer are inevitable. The estimation of overall heat loss coefficient (Ul) is the most
important in the design of solar collectors. Based on unit receiver area, Ul is given by
the formula: [1].
 Al- satil Journal 87

−1
1 1 1 1 
Ul =  + +  (16)
Ar (hc,r−c + hr ,r −c )Ar (hc,r−c + hr ,r −c )Ac (hc,r −a + hr ,r−s )Ac 
In the CPC solar collector the useful energy is extracted in the form of heat by fluid
flowing inside the receiver tube. The expression for the useful heat derived from the
collector, Qu can be written as:
,
Qu (t) = m Cf (To – Ti) (17)
,
Where To, Ti are fluid temperature at outlet and inlet of the receiver tube, m and Cf
are flow rate and specific heat of the working fluid. Respectively. How much radiation
energy from the sun that reaches the solar collector can be transferred to the working
fluid is called the efficiency of the collectors (ηc), which simply is:
Qu (t )
ηc = (18)
I t (t ) xAc
Where, It(t) is the total (beam and diffuse) incident radiation on aperture plane.
4. System Simulation Procedure:
The model is implemented using the computer program,
which is especially built for dynamic system simulation. The input to the program is
a set of values, including collector
dimensions, Concentration ratio, flow rate and
optical and relative properties. The simulation
is done for different concentration ratios. For
most of these values the system can not
collecting the solar rays during the collection
hours (eight hours) for all days of the year.
Therefore tracking subroutine is added to the
main program, where the tilted angle will be
adjusted in specific days by different values
depending on the concentration ratio,
However the continuous tracking is not
considered in this study. Firstly the program
does the calculations of the intensity of solar
radiation (beam and diffuse), which is falling
on the system. The temperatures of different
components of the CPC system assumed to be
at the ambient temperature when the
calculations are initiated. For subsequent
times the initial temperatures are specified
equal to the temperature values the respective
 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 88

previous sections. The iterative process is continued until the end time is reached where
during each procedure the thermal calculations of the system are done. To improve this
study to be more realistic data base subroutine is added to the program, which takes the
actual data for the ambient temperature and wind velocity. The program outputs
included the useful heat gain, outlet fluid temperature and the system efficiency. By this
program it can be respect the behavior of the system during the year operation. The
simulation procedure is summarized in Fig (6).
5. Results and Discussion:
These results are obtained from CPC system simulation. The calculation is done for
a segment which illustrated in Fig. (1), where the CPC collector can contain number
from these segments. In this work, the thermal analysis is done at different
concentration ratios (Ca = 1.5, 2, 3, 4 and 5). Dimensions and thermal properties of the
CPC solar collector, which is used in the simulation are shown in Table (1).

Since the work concentrates on the cooling systems, which is normally has an
important effects in summer, so the studying day taken on August 21st which has the
highest values of ambient temperatures. Also the study takes in its consideration, the
changing in the temperatures of the system components along the system length. The
length of the system is a very important parameter, which effected on the outlet fluid
temperature. This study is accomplished using different values of flow rate (m = 0.0005
kg/s, 0.001 kg/s, 0.005 kg/s and 0.01 kg/s), and for different concentration ratio. In this
study the results shown in case of Ca = 5, which is obtain the higher system efficiency.
It is known that increasing the system length will provide a great period for heat
exchange between the working fluid
and receiver surface, this exchange
leading to raises the fluid
temperature, then its outlet
temperature. Fig (7) shows the effect
of length on the outlet fluid
temperature for case (Ca = 5). The
raising in the outlet fluid temperature
is a significant and more extreme at
lower flow rates. Also the
temperature stabiles at specific length
depending on flow rate value. Where
at this value of flow rate no need to
increase the system length, because of
non heat useful with this procedure.
 Al- satil Journal 89

On the contrary increasing the length

leads to raise the temperature of components
and increasing the surface exposed to the heat
losses, consequently the system efficiency
decreasing, as indicated in Fig (8). It can be
observed, an extreme decrease in the
efficiency at low flow rates. As well as the
efficiency is less affected by the length with
higher flow rates.
Because of the need to supply the system
with relatively a higher temperature (150oC)
so it is necessary to provide this value with an
acceptable efficiency. For providing this value
of the outlet fluid temperature it
needs different system lengths
differed by the difference of flow
rates. Whereas at using higher flow
rate it needs a larger system length.
The following Table (2) is a summary
showing the lengths can provide this
outlet temperature value and the
system efficiency at this length, in
addition to the total
useful heat gain. These values
calculated for different flow rate and
studied concentration ratios. From the results
it can be observed that the efficiency generally
increased at higher concentrations, exclusively
in demanding a higher outlet fluid
temperature, whereas shorter system lengths
are needed. The effect of length on the total
useful heat gain is shown in Fig (9). In case of
higher flow rates, the increase of useful heat
gain will be extreme due to the increase of
heat transfer coefficient between the working
fluid and receiver surface. Worth mentioning
that these values are for the total useful heat
gain while the useful heat gain for unit receiver area decreases with the system length
increase due to reduction the difference between the receiver and fluid temperatures.
As an indicator of heat losses from the system and their changes with the length,
Fig (10) shows the changing of overall heat loss coefficient of the system at
concentration ratio (Ca = 5) for different flow rates. Generally the extreme increase in
overall heat loss coefficient happens at the shorter system lengths.
 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 90

Also the system behavior can be expressed along the day based on the desired outlet
fluid temperature (150oC). Fig (11) shows the system efficiency along the day for all
cases of concentration (Ca= 5). In this concentration ratio, the change rate in the
efficiency values approximately 5 % along the day.

Fig (12), shows the change of total

useful heat gain. The increase in its
value will be huge especially at noon
time due to the highest incident solar
radiation on the system. Also the other
concentrations takes the same behavior
but with lower values.
Finally it is possible to simulate
this system to evaluate its performance
throughout collection hours and along
the year at real outdoor conditions. The
length was selected according to give
the required designed outlet temperature
(150oC) to connect this system with
other systems needs to this amount of temperature such as cooling system. The length is
.
varied with concentration ratio and flow rate as mentioned earlier. At flow rate, m =
0.0005 kg/s, the required length to obtain the designed outlet fluid temperature was
(L=2.75 m) i.e., (approximately 0.173m2 of receiver area, and 0.865 m2 of cover area,
where the width of this segment is 0.3142m). These results could be generalized for all
flow rate values. Ratios from the incident solar radiation (beam and diffuse), will be
concentrated by the reflector surface to the receiver, and finally absorbed by the receiver
for unit receiver area (the amount of diffuse is small) is shown in Fig (13). Figure (14)
shows the total useful heat gain of the system when it received the beam and diffuse
solar radiation using cover area equal to 0.865 m2. The outlet fluid temperature is
represented in Fig (15).
With this value of concentration ratio and the system length; it is easy to get the
required values of temperature, at almost operating time. Also its behavior doesn’t
fluctuate widely along the year. Generally at the beginning and the end of operation
 Al- satil Journal 91

time it can not get the required values of outlet fluid temperature due to low incident
solar radiation in these periods. Therefore at using this system as apart of the integrated
cooling system, the system should have auxiliary heat energy to over this problem.
Finally the simulation results of the system showed acceptable values of system
efficiency during the year days, Approximately in range (35-40%), as illustrated in
Fig(16).

6. Conclusions:
The thermal analysis if the CPC system at unsteady state and under real outdoor
conditions is studied. The system will be used as a part of integrated cooling system,
which needs to provide relatively high temperatures values of working fluid (150oC) to
operate more efficiently. Therefore it was working to provide this value of temperature
at acceptable efficiency throughout the year operation. Simulation results of this system
have concluding the following points:
• The increasing in the flow rates leads to increase the useful heat gain of all cases of
concentration and the system efficiency has more stability throughout the day. On
the other hand the increasing in flow rates are reduced the outlet fluid temperature,
and leads to use a greater system length, which resulting greatest losses and more
power energy to the pump. Therefore make a harmonization between the length and
 Studying the feasibility of the compound… 92

flow rate is necessary to get reasonable values of efficiency. Generally at these

required values of outlet fluid temperatures, the higher concentration ratio and
lower flow rate is the best option.
• By make the study of the system along the year the system recorded good
efficiency values throughout the year, approximately in range (35-40%) at
concentration ratio 5, where outlet temperatures designed to be 150oC. Therefore
using the CPC solar collector with the cooling system and with this value of
concentration, is a good application and promise for use.
Nomenclature
L length of solar collector (m) A the area (m2)
M the number of nodes V volume (m3)
W aperture cover with (m) d density (kg/m3)
I incident radiation (W/m2) ρ reflectivity
θa Acceptance half angle (Degree) α absorptivity
Ca concentration ratio ε emissivity
Δx the nodal spacing (m) t time (sec)
ηc The instantaneous efficiency β tilt angle (Degree)
o
T the temperature ( K) Q Total heat (Watt)
k thermal conductivity (W/m.oK) r the radius (m)
2o
Ut The overall heat loss coefficient (W/m K)
Z Clearance between the envelope and the reflector (m)
h heat transfer coefficient (W/m2oK)
q The heat flux based on a unit receiver area (W/m2)
Urf the total heat transfer coefficient between the receiver and working fluid
(W/m2oK)

Subscripts
a Ambient C Cover, Concentration
abs Absorber r Receiver, reflector, radiation
b beam i inside, inlet, Node number's
f Fluid m Reflector mirror mean temperature
d diffuse o Outside, outlet
e Envelope u Useful
s Sky w Wind
t Total cond conduction
 Al- satil Journal 93

References
[1] J.A. Duffie and W. A. Beckman Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes, New
York John Wiley and Sons 2nd edition 1991.
[2] J.S. Hiseh, Solar Energy Engineering Englewood Cliffs, N.J Prentice-Hall, 1986.
[3] K. Lovegrove and M. Dennis Solar Thermal Energy systems in Australia,
International Journal of Environmental studies 63 2006, 791-802.
[4] J.F. Kreider and F. Kreith, Solar Heating and Cooling Active and passive design.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 2nd edition, 1982.
[5] D. Rapp, Solar Energy Englewood Chiffs, N J: Prentice-Hall 1981.
[6] A. Rabl, Optical and Thermal properties of Compound Parabolic Concentrators,
Solar energy 18 (1976), 497-511.
[7] C. K. Hsieh, Thermal analysis of CPC collectors, Solar Energy 27 (1981), 19-29.
[8] A. F. Kothdiwala, B. Norton and P. C. Eames, The effect of variation of angle Of
inclination on the performance of low-concentration-ratio compound Parabolic
concentrating solar collectors, Solar Energy 55 (1995), 301-309.