Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
OPTICAL PERFORMANCE COMPARISON OF TWO CONFIGURATIONS OF LINEAR FRESNEL COLLECTORS RECEIVERS
Submission Author:
Patricia Scalco , RS
Co-Authors:
Patricia Scalco, Jacqueline Copetti, Mario Henrique Macagnan, André Santos, Diogo Canavarro, Jeferson Diehl de Oliveira
Presenter: Patricia Scalco
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-0552
Abstract
The challenges of climate change turn the investment in renewable energy sources crucial. Among these sources, concentrating solar power (CSP) has the potential to play a significant role in the transition to a more sustainable and secure energy future. This study focuses on a Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR): a CSP technology that uses flat - or slightly - curved mirrors to concentrate sunlight at a focal point, known as the receiver. At the receiver, the sunlight is absorbed and used to generate heat for industrial processes and/or centralized and dispatchable electricity, with the eventual inclusion of thermal storage. The optical characteristics of the receiver configuration vary depending on the system's geometry. This study aims to present an optical analysis for two receiver configurations: (1) trapezoidal receiver cavity with a multi-tube system; and (2) Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) secondary concentrator with an evacuated tube. For each configuration, a ray-tracing procedure was carried out. From this, it was possible to define the optical efficiency, the Incidence Angle Modifier (IAM) curves, and the Concentrated Acceptance Product (CAP). This analysis shows that the receiver configuration is a critical component of LFR systems, as it directly affects the overall performance. The findings help to understand the optical characteristics of the receiver of the LFR system, show alternatives to optimize the receiver configuration, and to improve its design.
Keywords
linear fresnel reflector, Ray-tracing, Optical Analisys, Thermal Losses
