A Review of Parabolic Trough Collector Assisted with Mirror for low temperature Applications

Abstract

he global energy demand is going to increase by over 60% in the upcoming decades. Thus, the alternative form of energy should be investigated. The only energy preferable will be a renewable form of energy which includes wind, solar, biomass, and waste generated through human activities. The most useful alternative to fossil fuels in generating clean energy is solar energy. However, the extraction of maximum energy from the sun is quite difficult. This paper includes a comprehensive review of simple parabolic trough collectors along with geometrical analysis, thermal efficiency, and applications. The applications of PTC include water desalination, water heating, increasing the performance that can be utilized for steam generation, etc.

Introduction

Conclusion

This paper concludes a concise review of various geometrical and thermal parameters of parabolic trough collector. The most important parameter of the PTC is structure that can enhance efficiency and lower working cost. The second most critical parameter is working fluid i.e., Heat transfer fluid (HTF). Generally, water is use as a heat transfer fluid. The reflector impact greatly on the performance of the PTC but it is costly. Some low cost-alternatives are Polished SS-204 sheet, Aluminium foil and Silver coated PVC sheet. The absorber should have low heat loss and high absorptivity. The PTC is versatile in performance and thus, can be used in various household and industrial applications. The thermal performance of PTC can also be improved by integrating mirrors to reduce solar radiation loss. Based on literatures, it can be derived that nanofluid can be used for improving performance but it is still an emerging field and require research. The parabolic trough collector is replacing the old method of solar collector. It has the potential of replacing conventional method of water heating.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2022 Prof. Pravin Gupta, Himanshu Wakodikar, Prathmesh Dhanaskar, Vedpraksh Kashte, Chetan Dongare, Sandip Bhagat. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.