Part B6: Concentrating collectors

1
B6.1 Concentrating collectors

• Used to increase outlet temperature

• Increase in temperature due to
reduction in collector surface area and
commensurate reduction in heat loss
(AcUL)
• Image from the sun is a finite size not
a point
• subtends an angle of about 5º
• image will be a disc (3d) or a rectangle (2d)

2
B6.1 Concentrating collectors

3
B6.1 Concentrating collectors
Abel Pifre’s Printing press (1882)

4
B6.1 Concentrating collectors
Concentration ratio

C = Concentration ratio
Aa = Aperture area (m2)
C Aa
Ar Ar = Receiver area (m2)

5
B6.1 Concentrating collectors
Concentration ratio: Ideal

2
R 1 R 1
Cideal 2 d   Cideal 3d  2  2
r sin  r sin 
 230  50,000

Cideal = Concentration ratio of an ideal collector

 = Acceptance half angle
6
B6.2 Concentrating collectors
Concentration ratio: Parabolic collectors
(imaging collectors)

7
B6.2 Concentrating collectors
Concentration ratio: Parabolic collectors
(imaging collectors)

sin f cos f   
C2 d  1
sin 
C = Concentration ratio
 = Acceptance half angle
f = rim angle
sin 2 f cos 2 f   
C3d 
sin 2 

8
B6.2 Concentrating collectors
Concentration ratio: Parabolic collectors
(imaging collectors)

1 3
Cmax 2 d  
2sin  2
 110
1 1 3
Cmax 3d   
4sin  2sin  4
2
C = Concentration ratio
 13,000  = Acceptance half angle
f = rim angle

When

1 
f    
2 2 
9
B6.3 Concentrating collectors
Non imaging collectors: Acceptance angle

• Total angle the sun can move through

without its image missing the receiver
– An ideal collector with an acceptance angle
of 60º will have a concentration ratio of 2

• Ideal concentrators are non imaging

– Most common form is the Compound
parabolic concentrator (CPC)
– CPCs can collect diffuse radiation with a
proportion of 1/C (C of 1.5 will pick up 2/3
of diffuse radiation)

10
B6.3 Concentrating collectors
Non imaging collectors: Compound
parabolic concentrator (CPC)

11
B6.3 Concentrating collectors
Non imaging collectors: Compound
parabolic concentrator (CPC)

12
B6.3 Concentrating collectors
Non imaging collectors: Compound
parabolic concentrator (CPC)

13
B6.3 Concentrating collectors
Non imaging collectors:CPC: Variations

14
B6.4 Concentrating collectors
Alternative concentrators

15
B6.4 Concentrating collectors
Alternative concentrators

16
B6.4 Concentrating collectors
Alternative concentrators

17
B6.5 Concentrating collectors
Plane reflectors

18
B6.5 Concentrating collectors
Plane reflectors

19
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Receivers

• 2d systems should use selective

surface as radiator radiates to the sky
• 3d systems can use any black surface
as C is very high so heat loss is small

20
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Tracking

• 3d systems must track on 2 axes

• 2d systems should track in one
direction
– North-South aligned collectors have (fairly)
even output throughout the day but must
track the sun from East to west but be
careful about shading
– East-West aligned collectors need not track
over the day but may need seasonal
adjustment and will have a strong variation
in output throughout the day
• C-3 – adjust four times/year
• C-1.5 no adjustment necessary
21
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Tracking

Manual Seasonal adjustment for CPC Tracking for parabolic trough (E-W)

Tracking for parabolic trough (N-S) Two axis tracking

22
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Tracking: Moving receiver

23
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Performance

q = Energy per meter of collector

(W m-2)
r = reflectivity of collector
g = proportion of the beam
intercepted by the receiver
U L Tc  TA  t = proportion of the beam
q  rgta GT  reaching the reflector
C a = proportion absorbed by the
receiver
GT = Incident irradiance
UL = Loss coefficient of the
receiver
Note: rgta  ta Tc = Cold water temperature
TA = Ambient temperature
C = Concentration ratio

24
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Reflectivity for mirror surfaces

Material r

Silver 0.93-0.95

Back silvered low iron glass 0.88

Back aluminiumised glass 0.76-0.80

Plated silver 0.96

Aluminium sheet 0.82

Aluminiumised PTFE 0.77

Silvered PTFE 0.86

25
B6.6 Concentrating collectors
Performance

26
B6.7 Concentrating collectors
Examples

Parabolic concentrator system

Lutz (USA – 1984 - 1990)
• Several sites between 13 and
80MW and covers an area of
460 ha
• Collectors generate 360ºC
• Uses synthetic oil for heat
removal to a conventional
turbine
• Cost effective against fossil fuel
(9 US cents/kWh in 1991)
• 22% peak and 14% average
efficiency

27
B6.7 Concentrating collectors
Examples

Power tower
Solar 2 (USA - 1994)
• Generates – 10MW
(100MW peak)
• Heat > 550ºC
• Uses melted rock salt for
heat removal
• “Solar Tres”, a 15MW
commercial system is
planned for Spain (and
has been for some time)

28
B6.7 Concentrating collectors
Examples

Power tower
Odeillo (France - 1969)
• Built for materials
testing
• Heat > 3,800ºC
(but over an area of 50
cm2

29
B6.7 Concentrating collectors
Examples

Solar cooker
Haiti
• Uses Fresnal reflector

30
Next – Refrigeration and other applications

31