Design and performance analysis of parabolic trough

collector (PTC) under Lahore climatic conditions

Final year project for the award of degree of Bachelor of Science in

Mechanical Engineering

Celebrating the 100 Years of Academic Excellence

Submitted by:
Ali Hamza 2017-ME-112
Muhammad Umer 2017-ME-124
Usama Asif 2017-ME-160
Fahad Ijaz 2017-ME-189

Supervised by: Prof. Dr. Nasir Hayat

Mechanical Engineering Department

University of Engineering and Technology Lahore
 Design and performance analysis of parabolic trough
collector (PTC) under Lahore climatic conditions

Submitted to the Mechanical Engineering Department of the University of Engineering and

Technology Lahore in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Degree of

Bachelor of Science
in
Mechanical Engineering

Internal Examiner Name: ________________ Signature:

_______________

External Examiner Name: ________________ Signature: ______________

July 2021

Mechanical Engineering Department

University of Engineering and Technology Lahore
 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work contained in this thesis is my own, except where explicitly stated
otherwise. In addition, this work has not been submitted to obtain another degree or professional
qualification.

Signed by the author:

Date:

iii
 Abstract
Parabolic trough systems are the most used concentrated solar power (CSP) technology. The
operating performance and optical efficiency of the parabolic trough solar collectors (PTCs) are
different in different regions and different seasons. To determine the optimum design and
operation of the parabolic trough solar collector throughout the year, an accurate estimation of the
monthly irradiance is needed. Pakistan has been blessed with one of the highest direct solar
radiation in the world. This provides great opportunity for harvesting clean energy. The rapid
urbanization leads to higher energy demand per capita. This in conjunction with the global
commitment to curb environmental impacts of conventional energy calls for investing and
exploring the renewable energy resources. In this research work, the solar radiation for Lahore
( Latitude: 31.56) has been studied for efficient utilization of solar energy. The data for monthly
irradiance is collected and the optimum design of parabolic trough collector is modeled by using
TracePro. The obtained results show that the monthly irradiance is maximum for the month of
May in Lahore (211.8835 W/m2). The simulation for variation in irradiance in the absorber tube is
also observed which shows that the irradiance is maximum in the middle part of absorber tube
(30,000 W/m2). The variation in irradiance in absorber tube is also observed with various reflector
materials which show that the irradiance is maximum in the absorber tube when the perfect mirror
is used to focus solar radiations at absorber tube. From the estimated results it is found that with
the exception of monsoon months solar energy can be utilized very efficiently throughout the year.

iv
 Acknowledgements
The authors would like to express their gratitude to ALLAH ALMIGHTY for empowering
them to complete this final year project report. Afterwards, they would also like to acknowledge
their indebtedness and sincere appreciation to their supervisor Prof. Dr. Nasir Hayat for co-
operating and encouraging them with his valuable guidance and kind supervision to complete this
final year project report. Last but not least, the authors are very grateful to their parents for their
prayers as they are the biggest inspiration for them.

v
 Dedication

The authors would like to dedicate this work to their parents and for the betterment of society.

vi
 CLOs and Assessment Method
CLOs 1-7, their domain & levels, PLOs mapping and corresponding assessment method are
applicable to all projects. However additional PLOs and their associated domains, PLO mapping
and assessment method may be added by the project supervisor.

Domain and
CLOs Description PLO
Level

Students will be able to develop a broader Cognitive PLO1,

CLO 1 Understand (2) (Engineering Knowledge)
understanding of the problem area.
Students will be able to collect and review the Cognitive PLO4
CLO 2
literature from various sources. Remember (1) (Investigation)
Students will be able to devise suitable Cognitive PLO3
CLO 3 methodology for the solution of the given Apply (3) (Design/Development
problem. of Solutions)
Students will be able to evaluate and analyze the Cognitive PLO 2
CLO 4
results. Analyze (4) (Problem Analysis)
Affective PLO 11
Students will be able to organize and plan the
CLO 5 Organization (Project Management)
assigned project.
(2)
Students will be to demonstrate their work in the Psychomotor PLO 10
CLO 6
form of a report and presentation. Precision (3) (Communication)
Students will be able to apply modern Cognitive PLO 5
CLO 7 engineering/IT tools for data analysis of the Apply (3) (Modern Tool usage)
project.
Students will be able to assess the problem in Cognitive PLO 7
CLO 8 environmental perspective for sustainable Evaluate (5) (Environment and
development. Sustainability)
Students will be able to demonstrate ethical Affective PLO 8
principles, responsibilities and norms of various Valuing (3) (Ethics)
CLO 9
practices involved in the project
accomplishment.
Students will be able to apply the contextual Cognitive PLO 6
CLO 10 knowledge for addressing the issues of society Apply (3) (The Engineer and
related to engineering practices. Society)
Affective PLO 9
Students will be able to defend the work
CLO 11 Respond (4) (Individual and
effectively, as an individual or in a team.
Teamwork)
Students will be able to identify the learned Affective PLO 12
CLO 12
values into priorities. Respond (4) (Lifelong Learning)

vii
 Responsibilities of Group Members

Name Regd. No. Responsibilities

Chapter 5

Ali Hamza 2017-ME-112 List of Figures

List of Tables

Abstract

Muhammad Umer +

(Group Leader) 2017-ME-124 Chapter 1

Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Usama Asif 2017-ME-160 Nomenclature

Acknowledgements

Chapter 2

Fahad Ijaz 2017-ME-189 +

References

viii
 Table of Contents
AUTHOR'S DECLARATION ......................................................................................................... iii

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. iv

Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................v

Dedication ......................................................................................................................................... vi

CLOs and Assessment Method ........................................................................................................ vii

List of Figures ................................................................................................................................... xi

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... xii

Nomenclature .................................................................................................................................. xiii

Chapter 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................12

1.1 Research motivation ...........................................................................................................12

1.2 Problem statement ..............................................................................................................14

1.3 Objectives ...........................................................................................................................15

1.4 Outline of the project ..........................................................................................................16

Chapter 2 Literature survey ..............................................................................................................17

2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................17

Chapter 3 Theory and Mathematical modelling ...............................................................................20

3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................20

3.2 Solution Methodology ........................................................................................................30

3.3 Modern Tool Usage/Software ............................................................................................32

Chapter 4 Results ..............................................................................................................................34

4.1 Variation in Monthly Irradiance: ........................................................................................34

4.2 Variation in Irradiance in Absorber Tube: .........................................................................34

4.3 Maximum Irradiance in absorber tube for various materials: ............................................36

Chapter 5 Conclusions and Future work ...........................................................................................38

ix
 5.1 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................38

5.2 Future Work .......................................................................................................................39

References .........................................................................................................................................41

x
 List of Figures
Figure 1.1 Outline of Project......................................................................................................... ..12
Figure 3.1 The Sun: basis of life on Earth ...................................................................................... 19
Figure 3.2 The energy cube............................................................................................................. 20
Figure 3.3 Concentration of solar radiation: reflectors with one-axis tracking .............................. 23
Figure 3.4 Concentration of solar radiation: single reflector with two-axis tracking ..................... 24
Figure 3.5 Concentration of solar radiation: multiple reflectors with two-axis tracking ................ 24
Figure 3.6 Schematic of an SEGS plant .......................................................................................... 28
Figure 3.7 Layout of TracePro ........................................................................................................ 30
Figure 3.8 Design of PTC on TracePro........................................................................................... 31
Figure 4.1 Variation of monthly irradiance .................................................................................... 32
Figure 4.2 Variation of irradiance in absorber tube ........................................................................ 33
Figure 4.3 Graphical variation of irradiance at various locations of absorber tube ........................ 34
Figure 4.4 Maximum irradiance for various reflector materials ..................................................... 35

xi
 List of Tables
Table 1.1 World Status of Concentrated Solar Power Plants.......................................................... 13
Table 3.1 Concentration ratios of various systems ......................................................................... 25
Table 3.2 Investment costs for various collector types (indicative; market prices fluctuate and
differ per country) ............................................................................................................................ 25
Table 3.3 Characteristics of different parabolic trough collectors .................................................. 27
Table 3.4 Monthly data for irradiance, temperature and wind speed .............................................. 29
Table 3.5 Design Parameters of PTC .............................................................................................. 29

xii
 Nomenclature
Abbreviations
PTC Parabolic trough collector
CSP Concentrated solar power
AEDB Alternative energy development board
GHG Greenhouse gas
UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
LCOE Levelized cost of electricity
SCE Southern California Edison
SEGS Solar electric generation systems
HTF Heat transfer fluid

xiii
 Chapter 1
Introduction

1.1 Research motivation

Energy resources play important role in world economy. Global energy demand increases, due to
increase in world population and change in living standard of the people. Currently the world
population is 7.2 billion which is predicted to reach 8.5 billion by 2025. Additionally, the
conventional energy resources are slated to run out soon, thus further accentuating the demand
for green revolution in energy field. Extracting renewable energy supply in addition to the
positive impact on environment also carries the economic argument. Approximately 1.8×1014
kW of energy from sun is reach at earth, about 60% of which it reaches to the earth surface.
Utilizing 1% of this potential can lead to significant reduction in global carbon emissions by
offsetting the conventional fossil fuels for energy generation.
Solar energy can be used in two ways for energy generation i.e.; by converting it to thermal
energy and then electrical energy or by directly converting it to electrical energy through
photovoltaic modules. Solar thermal energy is environmental-friendly when it is compares to
fossil fuel technology. CSP technology can be feasible for high irradiance and low clouding
areas. The average solar irradiance received by Pakistan is 5-6 kWh/m2 , which shows that
Pakistan has large solar power generation potential. It has been reported by the alternative energy
development board (AEDB) Pakistan that almost 28 solar projects are under progress with
capacity of 956 MW power.
In recent years, concentrated solar power (CSP) for electricity production promises to be one of
the most viable options to replace fossil fuel power plants. Concentrated solar power (CSP)
systems use optical devices (usually mirrors) and sun-tracking systems to concentrate a large
area of sun light onto a smaller receiving area. To determine the optimum design and operation
of the solar energy utilization technology throughout the year, an accurate estimation of the
performance of parabolic trough collector is essential.
The world status of concentrated solar power plants is given in table 1.1 below:

12
13
 Table 1.1 World Status of Concentrated Solar Power Plants

Country Operational Under Development Total

(MW) Construction (MW) (MW)
(MW)

Mexico 14 14

Chile 110 1100 1210

South Africa 400 100 200 700

Australia 2.5 150 152.5

Morocco 380 150 530

MENA 140 120 1020 1280

India 205 295 500

Thailand 5 5

China 21 250 1089 1360

Europe 5 9 132 146

Spain 2304 2304

USA 1745 1745

Canada 1 1

Total 5206 1048 3691 9945

(MW)

1.2 Problem statement

At present Pakistan is facing serious energy problem due to increase demand of energy, high cost
of energy import and high population growth. The rural sector which comprises seventy percent
of population is dependent on the use of non-commercial energy resources. To overcome this

14
problem one has to develop alternate energy resources. Widely used renewable resources are
solar and wind energy which has shown prospects and potential for efficient utilization.

Environmental concern has extended to the control of hazardous air pollutants, which are usually
toxic chemical substances harmful even in small doses, as well as to other globally significant
pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Additionally, developments in industrial processes and
structures have led to new environmental problems. Carbon dioxide as a GHG plays a vital role
in global warming. Studies show that it is responsible for about two-thirds of the enhanced
greenhouse effect. A significant contribution to the CO2 emitted to the atmosphere is attributed
to fossil fuel combustion (EPA, 2007).

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992, addressed the challenges of achieving worldwide sustainable
development. The goal of sustainable development cannot be realized without major changes in
the world’s energy system. Accordingly, Agenda 21, which was adopted by UNCED, called for
“new policies or programs, as appropriate, to increase the contribution of environmentally safe
and sound and cost-effective energy systems, particularly new and renewable ones, through less
polluting and more efficient energy production, transmission, distribution, and use”.

1.3 Objectives
The specific objectives of this study are:

 Design of Parabolic Trough Collector under Lahore climatic conditions

 Performance Analysis of Parabolic Trough Collector

 Variation of direct normal irradiance (DNI) in absorber tube

 To study the effect of changing collector material on irradiance in absorber tube

15
1.4 Outline of the project
The outline of project is shown in figure 1.1 below:

Figure 1.1 Outline of Project

16
 Chapter 2
Literature survey

2.1 Introduction
Deepak carried out a detailed analysis of 100 MW parabolic trough power plant in Udaipur India.
Rajasthan is chosen for the proposed CSP plant where annual DNI is International Journal of
Engineering Works Vol. 7, Issue 02, PP. 161-166, February 2020 www.ijew.io 2248.17
kWh/m2 . Solar salt is used as an HTF. The Proposed power plant consists of 194 collector loops.
Simulation results indicate that hypothetical power plant shows excellent thermal Performance.

A study by Montes analyzed the impact of solar multiple on annual energy output, natural gas
usage and levelized cost of electricity (LOCE) for a parabolic trough solar thermal power plant
with 50 MW capacity. The power plant comprises of energy storage as well as gas-fired steam
boiler.

A study conducted in Cyprus on the technical specification, cost of power generated and land
area required for a solar thermal power plant and concluded that parabolic trough is the most
feasible technology because of the market maturity and other advantages. Abbas et al. carried out
economic feasibility assessment of the solar parabolic trough based thermal power plant
technology, analyzing 100 MW potential in four locations of Algeria. Kearney et al. carried out a
detailed analysis on molten salt for TES and heat transfer purpose. The study concluded that by
using molten salt as a HTF, LOCE can be minimized.

Mohammad presented a feasibility study on 50 MWe parabolic trough power plant in Jordan.
The study concluded that southern part of Jordan has huge potential for the installation of
concentrated solar thermal power plants. R.Hosseini et al. presented a technoeconomic analysis
of the integrated solar combined cycle system (ISCCS) power plant in Iran. The study
recommended that by adopting ISCCS technology can save fuel consumption cost and also
reduce carbon dioxide emission.

According to the renewable energy-intensive scenario, the contribution of intermittent

renewables by the middle of this century could be as high as 30% (Johanson et al., 1993). A high
rate of penetration by intermittent renewables without energy storage would be facilitated by

17
emphasis on advanced natural gas-fired turbine power-generating systems. Such power-
generating systems characterized by low capital cost, high thermodynamic efficiency, and the
flexibility to vary electrical output quickly in response to changes in the output of intermittent
power-generating systems would make it possible to back-up the intermittent renewables at low
cost, with little, if any, need for energy storage.

The key elements of a renewable energy-intensive future are likely to have the following key
characteristics (Johanson et al., 1993):

1. There would be a diversity of energy sources, the relative abundance of which would vary
from region to region. For example, electricity could be provided by various combinations
of hydroelectric power, intermittent renewable power sources (wind, solar thermal electric,
and photovoltaic (PV)), biomass, and geothermal sources. Fuels could be provided by
methanol, ethanol, hydrogen, and methane (biogas) derived from biomass, supplemented
with hydrogen derived electrolytically from intermittent renewables.

2. Emphasis would be given to the efficient mixing of renewable and conventional energy
supplies. This can be achieved with the introduction of energy carriers such as methanol and
hydrogen. It is also possible to extract more useful energy from such renewable resources as
hydropower and biomass, which are limited by environmental or land-use constraints. Most
methanol exports could originate in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, where vast
degraded areas are suitable for revegetation that will not be needed for cropland. Growing
biomass on such lands for methanol or hydrogen production could provide a powerful
economic driver for restoring these lands. Solar-electric hydrogen exports could come from
the regions in North Africa and the Middle East that have good insolation.

3. Biomass would be widely used. Biomass would be grown sustainably and converted
efficiently to electricity and liquid and gaseous fuels using modern technology without
contributing to deforestation.

4. Intermittent renewables would provide a large quantity of the total electricity requirements
cost-effectively, without the need for new electrical storage technologies.

5. Natural gas would play a major role in supporting the growth of a renewable energy industry.
Natural gas-fired turbines, which have low capital costs and can quickly adjust their

18
 electrical output, can provide excellent backup for intermittent renewables on electric power
grids. Natural gas would also help launch a biomass-based methanol industry.

6. A renewables-intensive energy future would introduce new choices and competition in

energy markets. Growing trade in renewable fuels and natural gas would diversify the mix
of suppliers and the products traded, which would increase competition and reduce the
possibility of rapid price fluctuations and supply disruptions. This could also lead eventually
to a stabilization of world energy prices with the creation of new opportunities for energy
suppliers.

7. Most electricity produced from renewable sources would be fed into large electrical grids
and marketed by electric utilities, without the need for electrical storage.

From the above literature we concluded that globally concentrated solar power is a proven
technology, but in Pakistan there is hardly any development in this field which is mostly due to
the unavailability of in-depth studies on its potential for power generation.

19
 Chapter 3
Theory and Mathematical modelling

3.1 Introduction
3.1.1. Solar Energy:

The most important supplier of energy for the earth is the sun. The whole of life depends on the
sun’s energy. It is the starting point for the chemical and biological processes on our planet. At
the same time, it is the most environmentally friendly form of all energies, it can be used in many
ways, and it is suitable for all social systems.

In the core of the sun a fusion process takes place in which pairs of hydrogen nuclei are fused
into helium nuclei. The energy thus released is radiated into space in the form of electromagnetic
radiation. As the sun is 148 million km from the earth, it radiates only a tiny fraction of its
energy to the earth. In spite of this, the sun offers more energy in four hours than the human race
uses in a whole year.

The age of the sun is estimated by astrophysicists to be about 5 billion years. With a total life
expectation of 10 billion years the sun will be available as an energy source for another 5 billion
years. Hence from our human perspective the sun offers an unlimited life.

20
 Figure 3.1 The Sun: basis of all life on Earth

3.1.2. Finiteness of Energy Resources:

The available resources of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas and uranium) are being consumed at
an ever-increasing rate to meet the growing energy requirement on our planet. Because stocks
are finite, this process will inevitably lead us into a cul-de-sac. The key that leads us out of this
dilemma is to save energy, to use energy rationally, and to use renewable energy sources: sun,
wind, water and biomass. Figure emphasizes the relationship between fossil fuel reserves, energy
requirement and the radiation supplied by the sun.

21
 Figure 3.2 The Energy Cube

Each year the sun provides a multiple of the world energy consumption, and indeed even a
multiple of all the known fossil fuel reserves. Put into numbers, it is 1.5 × 1018 kWh/a, or 1500
million billion kilowatt-hours per annum. This is more than 10,000 times the energy that the
human race needs at present. Moreover, the radiation supply from the sun carries a 5-billion-year
guarantee.

3.1.3. Climate Change and its Consequences:

Based on the apparent finite energy resources, the environment and the climate are being
dramatically changed and damaged to an ever-greater extent by the burning of fossil fuels. The
cause of this is the emission of hazardous substances such as Sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen
and carbon dioxide connected with the incineration process.

Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are among those hazardous substances that play a
significant part in causing acid rain.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the greenhouse gas that is mainly responsible for the heating up of the
earth’s atmosphere. For many thousands of years, the CO2 concentration remained nearly

22
constant. Over the past 200 years the CO2 concentration has increased from approximately 270
ppm*) to currently 385 ppm at an ever-increasing rate.

Other greenhouse gases we emit include Methane (CH4) from agriculture and Nitrous oxide
(N2O).

3.1.4. Consequences of climate change:

Most scientists now agree on the potentially catastrophic effects of an increase in the annual
average global temperature:

 Heating of oceans, and melting of the glaciers, leading to an increase in the sea level, with
the result that some coastal regions have been flooded and building land has been lost (more
than one third of the world’s population live in coastal regions).

 Displacement of the vegetation zones, resulting in drastic changes in food production, and a
dramatic reduction in the variety of species.

 The release of huge amounts of CO2 and methane from the thawing ground of the tundra,
which further increases the overall effect.

 The ‘Mediterraneanizing’ of the temperate latitudes, with hot, dry summers and milder but
wet winters, resulting in shortages of water in summer, floods in winter, and a high load on
already severely damaged forests.

 An increase of weather-related damage caused by storms, floods and droughts, with growing
economic cost.

 Intensification of known climate phenomena, such as El Niño, with an increase in the

frequency of torrential storms in the otherwise dry areas of South America.

3.1.5. Good Arguments for Solar Systems:

Every year the number of freshly installed collector surfaces increases, with an annually
increasing rate of growth (the collector surface installed in 2003 in Europe was around
1,450,000 m2 (4,843,760 ft2 )). The European market has grown on average by 18% per year in

23
the period 1994 to 1999.7 Every new square meter of installed solar collector surface increases
the trend and is an active contribution to the protection of the climate:

 Solar system owners do not wait for political decisions or global changes, but simply act.

 The solar system is an easily visible sign of a high level of responsibility, environmental
awareness and commitment.

 Solar system owners are pleased with every ray of the sun, and experience their environment
with more awareness.

 They enjoy bathing, showering or washing their clothes using water heated by the sun –
particularly in the summer, when the heating boiler can remain switched off.

 The solar system makes them less dependent on increases in energy prices.

 Solar system operators enjoy tax advantages and government funding in many countries.

 Solar systems increase both the value of the property and its image. ‘Solar houses’ can be
sold or rented out more easily.

 Thermal solar systems for the provision of hot water are technically mature and have a
service life of about 20 years.

 A standard solar system covers between 50% (in northern latitudes) and 90% (in subtropical
and tropical climates) of the yearly energy required for the provision of hot water. Even in
northern latitudes, 90% of the energy demand between May and September can be covered.

 Solar systems for swimming pool water heating are economical to install, and their cost can
be amortized over a very short period of time.

 Within the course of its life a solar system supplies about 13 times more energy than was
used to make it.

 Solar systems require very little maintenance, and their energy is permanently available.

 By taking up solar technology the trade gains new areas of work, which are secure for the
future. Solar technology creates lasting employment in production, installation and servicing.

3.1.6. Concentration of Solar Radiation:

24
Concentration of sunlight for large-scale applications is commonly done with reflecting
concentrators; lens systems cannot be used owing to their high price and limitations in size.
Instead, a parabolic-shaped reflector concentrates the solar radiation either on a focal line or on a
focal point. The concentrator needs to track the sun, so that its incident rays are always
perpendicular to the aperture area.

In principle, the main choice is between one-axis and two-axis tracking systems (see Figures 3.3-
3.5). Systems with one-axis tracking concentrate the sunlight onto an absorber tube in the focal
line of the concentrator, whereas two-axis tracked systems focus the rays of the sun onto a
round-shaped absorber at the focal point.

Figure 3.3 Concentration of solar radiation: reflectors with one-axis tracking

25
 Figure 3.4 Concentration of solar radiation: single reflector with two-axis tracking

Figure 3.5 Concentration of solar radiation: multiple reflectors with two-axis tracking

The theoretical upper value of concentration is 46,211; it is limited by the fact that the sun is not
a point source of radiation. By concentrating solar radiation, a maximum temperature of 5500°C
(9932°F) – the temperature of the sun’s surface – can be achieved. However, in practice these
maximum values have never been reached, and in general they are not needed in any case. With

26
a rising concentration ratio, the theoretical temperature limit also increases. In practical
applications, operating temperatures commonly do not even come close to the theoretically
possible temperature (see Table 3.1). There are two main reasons for this: first, it is not possible
to manufacture or install to the ideal and, second, heat is carried away, which continuously
reduces the temperature. However, if the heat removal is interrupted, the temperature in the
absorber can rise dramatically.

Table 3.1 Concentration ratios of various systems

Collector Type/System Concentration Operating Theoretical

Ratio Temperature Temperature
Limit
(℃)
(℃)

Parabolic Trough Collector 82 400 910

Solar Tower Plant 500 1100 1590

Dish/Stirling System 2500 650 2510

Typical investment costs for a solar thermal process heat system are given in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Investment costs for various collector types (indicative; market prices fluctuate and
differ per country)

Collector Type Cost (£/𝒎𝟐 )

Flat Plate Collector 250-300

Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) 300-350

Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) 300-400

Evacuated Flat Plate Collector 400-600

Evacuated Tube Collector 400-600

27
 Evacuated Tube Collector with CPC 400-600

The maintenance costs (cleaning etc.) for conventional collectors are of the order of £2.5/m2 a;
for parabolic trough collectors they amount to approximately £5/m2 a. Considering the costs for
the total system and the single components, about 80% of the investment cost relates to the
collector field (for field sizes of >1000 m2 (>710,764 ft2)), including the erection, support
structure and piping. The remaining 20% relates to the heat exchangers, pumps, control system
and planning. Whereas the integration of short-term storage does not influence the investment
costs significantly, long-term storage tanks can be far more costly, reaching shares of 10–20% of
the total investment cost.

3.1.7. Concentrating solar thermal systems for electricity generation:

The use of approximately 1% of the surface area of the Sahara for solar power plants would be
sufficient to meet the entire global electricity demand. Solar thermal power plants, in particular,
offer the opportunity to produce solar electricity in the tropics at low cost. These power plants do
not use the photo effect like photovoltaic systems, but apply thermal processes to generate
electricity. There are three different types of solar thermal power plant:

1. Parabolic trough plants

2. Solar tower plants

3. Dish/Stirling systems

3.1.8. Parabolic trough plants:

The first solar thermal power plants were developed in the USA in 1906. The first demonstration
plants were erected and successfully tested in the USA and near Cairo, Egypt, still a British
colony at that time. Amazingly, these systems looked almost like the systems of today. However,
problems with materials and other technical difficulties put an end to the first attempts at large-
scale solar electricity generation in 1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War.

In 1968 the USA laid the foundation for the renaissance of solar thermal electric technology. The
US public electric utilities were obliged by the power of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy
Act to buy electricity from independent power producers at a clearly defined tariff. After a
doubling of the electricity costs in only a few years owing to the oil crisis, the Californian

28
electric utility Southern California Edison (SCE) offered long-term conditions for the feed-in of
electricity from renewable energy systems. In combination with tax incentives such as an
exemption from paying property tax for solar power plants, the development of solar thermal
power plant projects started to become financially interesting. In 1969 the company LUZ was
founded, which concluded a feed-in contract for solar thermal electricity over a period of 30
years with SCE in 1983. The first commercially operated solar thermal power plant with
parabolic trough technology was erected in 1984. From then on new solar thermal power plants
with increased size and improved technology followed each year (see Table 3.3). In the mid-
1980s electricity prices went down again. After the abolition of tax exemptions at the end of
1990, LUZ went bankrupt just before starting the erection of its tenth solar thermal power plant.

Table 3.3 Characteristics of different parabolic trough collectors

Collector Type LS-1 LS-2 LS-3 Euro Trough

Year of Installment 1984 1986 1988 2001

Concentration Ratio 61 61 82 82

Aperture Width (m) 2,5 5 5.76 5.76

Collector Length (m) 50 48 99 150

Aperture (m2) 128 235 545 825

Absorber Tube Diameter (mm) 42.4 70 70 70

Until a few years ago, solar thermal power plants with parabolic trough technology were the only
commercially operating plants. After the oil crisis nine parabolic trough plants were erected
between 1984 and 1991 in the Mojave Desert in California on a surface area of more than 6 km 2
(2.3 square miles). They are called SEGS plants (solar electric generation systems) (see Figure
3.6 and Table 3.4). More than a million mirror elements with a total aperture of 2,300,000 m2
(24,756,994 ft2 ) focus the sunlight in these plants, which have an electrical capacity of 354 MW.
Each year the SEGS plants generate about 800 million kWh of electricity, enough to cover the

29
demand of 60,000 Americans. Eight of the SEGS plants can also be operated with fossil fuels, so
that electricity can be supplied during night-time or periods of bad weather.

However, the annual share of fossil fuel, in this case natural gas, is limited by law to 25% of the
entire annual thermal input. The total investment for the SEGS plants amounts to more than
US$1.2 billion. Up to now these plants have supplied more than 10 billion kWh of electricity to
the grid. The levelized electricity costs have decreased from system to system, with
US$0.26/kWh for the first SEGS plant down to US $0.12–0.14/kWh for the plants that were
erected last.

Figure 3.6 Schematic of an SEGS plant

3.2 Solution Methodology

The data of solar irradiation is collected for Lahore and monthly variations of solar radiations,
mean temperature and wind speed is given in table 3.4 below:

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 Table 3.4 Monthly data for irradiance, temperature and wind speed

Month Direct Normal Temperature Wind Speed

Irradiance (℃) (m/s)
(W/m2)

Jan 52.4462 12.1636 1.8939

Feb 90.3297 31.6159 2.6955

Mar 164.2145 16.2705 2.2405

Apr 160.2336 20.9529 2.8163

May 211.8835 27.5319 3.0938

Jun 185.2861 32.9169 3.0744

Jul 143.2083 33.9886 3.2336

Aug 89.0663 30.2890 2.2030

Sep 132.9216 30.2312 1.9266

Oct 122.2197581 26.5734991 1.839023297

Nov 93.5468287 19.90511574 2.098796296

Dec 89.37864247 15.38875672 1.822284498

The design parameters of parabolic trough collector in this report are given in table 3.5 below:

Table 3.5 Design Parameters of PTC

Design Parameters Dimensions

Width 5m

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 Length 8m

Focus 1.71 m

Aperture 40 m2

Concentration Ratio 22.75

Receiver Diameter 70 mm

Efficiency 40 %

3.3 Modern Tool Usage/Software

The software used for the analysis is TracePro that is a highly efficient tool in analyzing solar
radiations. The basic layout of the software is shown in figure 3.7 below:

Figure 3.7 Layout of TracePro

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The design made on TracePro is shown in figure 3.8 below:

Figure 3.8 Design of PTC on TracePro

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 Chapter 4
Results

4.1 Variation in Monthly Irradiance:

The variation in monthly direct normal irradiance (DNI) for Lahore is shown in figure 4.1. The
graph is plotted from the measured data of 2019 for Lahore climatic conditions.

250 Monthly Irradiance in Lahore

200
Irradiance (W/m2)

150

100

50

0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Month

Figure 4.1 Variation of monthly irradiance

4.2 Variation in Irradiance in Absorber Tube:

Similarly, the variation in absorber tube for irradiance is also analyzed from the software
(TracePro) and is shown in figure 4.2 below:

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 Figure 4.2 Variation of irradiance in absorber tube

It shows that the irradiance is maximum in the middle part of absorber tube. The model is
analyzed with 100,000 number of rays incident on the reflector. The graphical variation is also
illustrated in figure 4.3 below which shows the variation of irradiance in absorber tube at various
locations.

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 Figure 4.3 Graphical variation of irradiance at various locations of absorber tube

4.3 Maximum Irradiance in absorber tube for various materials:

The maximum irradiance in absorber tube for various materials is also analyzed on the software
and can be observed in figure 4.4 below:

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Maximum Irradiance (W/m2) 50000 Max Irradiance for various Reflector Materials

40000

30000

20000

10000

0
Perfect Mirror MgO Beam Splitter MgF2 IR Gold
Reflector Material

Figure 4.4 Maximum irradiance for various reflector materials

37
 Chapter 5
Conclusions and Future work

5.1 Conclusions

 The graph for monthly irradiance is plotted which shows that the irradiance is maximum in
the month of May in Lahore and its value is 205 W/m2. The irradiance is also very high in
summer months because of high temperature. The irradiance is minimum during winter
season in Lahore due to low temperature. It means that Lahore is a suitable location for
harvesting solar energy and producing electrical power.

 The variation of irradiance in absorber tube shows that the irradiance is maximum in the
central part of absorber tube and has a value of 32000 W/m2. As we move towards outer parts
of absorber tube, this irradiance decreases. It is because of the fact that most of the solar
radiations incident on the parabolic trough are focused at the central part of absorber tube due
to which this region has high value of irradiance. The graphical analysis has also been done
on TracePro which depicts the variation of irradiance in absorber tube. As the pointer is
moved along the various points of absorber tube, the variation in irradiance can be observed
easily.

 The variation in irradiance in absorber tube is also observed by varying the material of
parabolic trough which shows that when a perfect mirror is used for the parabolic trough, the
maximum irradiance in the central part of absorber tube will be maximum. It is due to the fact
that perfect mirror has reflectivity 1 and it does not transmit or absorb any of the radiations.
Thus, it will produce maximum irradiance. All other materials have some absorbance and
transmittance due to which they will be unable to focus all the radiation and thus the
maximum irradiance in the central part of the absorber tube will be low.

 The parabolic trough collector technology has a major advantage that it utilizes a renewable
source of energy that comes from sun and it also does not impact the environment. Thus, it is
a clean and pollution-free source of energy and in metropolitan cities like Lahore, this
technology should be used in order to reduce pollution in the environment. The other main
benefit of this technology is that it is economical as compared to other energy sources.

38
 Although it has a large capital cost, but once it is installed, its operating and maintenance cost
is lower than the maintenance cost of other energy sources. If a PTC plant is installed in
Lahore, then it will also minimize the distribution cost because it will be near to load center
and all the transmission of electricity can be done economically.

5.2 Future Work

Parabolic-trough solar collectors (PTC) are nowadays the most prevalent of the concentrated
solar power (CSP) systems. The competitive advantage gained by PTC over their CSP
counterparts has been achieved by significant research and development (R&D) effort between
1980 and 2000, mainly experimentally.

The components of the receiver are usually quite delicate and suffer damages or degradation at
high temperatures; in the widely used evacuated tubes, for example, the selective layers on the
receiver tube and metal-glass joints are critical components. If the aim of the project is electric
production, the increase in the temperature leads to higher efficiencies of the power cycle due to
higher inlet temperatures but also to higher thermal emissions; there will be an optimal
temperature which maximizes the overall efficiency, considering both the effects. For the
concentrations achievable in linear systems, the optimal temperature is usually estimated in the
range 400-600°C; thus, it is not advantageous to increase the temperature further.

Economically enhancing thermal performance in the receiver part plays a vital role in making
PTC more efficient to use. This enhancement aims to improve heat transfer flow to the TF from
the inside face of the receiver, which leads to decrease the heat losses and enhance produced
thermal efficiency. Enhancement heat transfer is classified into various methods: active, passive,
or merging both previous methods together.

The effect of heat transfer fluid on the performance of parabolic trough collector should also be
investigated. The function of the heat transfer fluid (HTF) is to collect the thermal energy
absorbed by the receiver and to transport it to the storage system or directly to the power block in
the case of solar thermal power plant (STPP) application. Selecting the appropriate HTF is
application-specific and depends on the operating conditions and design peculiarities of each
installation. Ideally, HTFs should have good thermal stability, should be able to operate safely
throughout the range of temperatures of interest, should have good chemical compatibility with

39
the tubing wall materials, and finally should be low cost and environmentally friendly.
Additionally, a high thermal conductivity, high heat capacity, and large heat transfer coefficient
are normally desired to maximize the heat transfer effectiveness, together with a low viscosity
and a small thermal expansion coefficient to reduce pumping power and thermal expansion
concern.

40
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