Flow distribution in a solar collector panel with horizontally inclined absorber strips

The objective of this work is to theoretically and experimentally investigate the flow and temperature distribution in a solar collector panel with an absorber consisting of horizontally inclined strips. Fluid flow and heat transfer in the collector panel are studied by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations. Further, experimental investigations of a 12.5 m² solar collector panel with 16 parallel connected horizontal fins are carried out. The flow distribution through the absorber is evaluated by means of temperature measurements on the backside of the absorber tubes. The measured temperatures are compared to the temperatures determined by the CFD model and there is a good similarity between the measured and calculated results.

Calculations with the CFD model elucidate the flow and temperature distribution in the collector. The influences of different operating conditions such as flow rate, properties of solar collector fluid, solar collector fluid inlet temperature and collector tilt angle are shown. The flow distribution through the absorber fins is uniform if high flow rates are used. By decreased flow rate and decreased content of glycol in the glycol/water mixture used as solar collector fluid, and by increased collector tilt and inlet temperature, the flow distribution gets worse resulting in an increased risk of boiling in the upper part of the collector panel.     

CFD modeling of a polymer solar collector

A polymer solar collector is developed and its behavior is investigated both experimentally and with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Solar irradiation as well as convection and heat transfer in the circulating fluid and between the parts of the collector is considered in the model. The temperature and velocity distribution over its area as well as the collector efficiency at nominal flow rate were used in order to validate the CFD model. Temperature distribution during operation and average collector efficiency were found to be in good agreement between the experimental data and the results of the CFD modeling.     

Effect of using nanofluids on efficiency of parabolic trough collectors in solar thermal electric power plants

In this paper, forced convection heat transfer nanofluid flow inside the receiver tube of solar parabolic trough collector is numerically simulated. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are carried out to study the influence of using nanofluid as heat transfer fluid on thermal efficiency of the solar system. The three-dimensional steady, turbulent flow and heat transfer governing equations are solved using Finite Volume Method (FVM) with the SIMPLEC algorithm. The results show that the numerical simulation are in good agreement with the experimental data. Also, the effect of various nanoparticle volume fraction on thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics of the solar parabolic collector is discussed in details. The results indicate that, using of nanofluid instead of base fluid as a working fluid leads to enhanced heat transfer performance. Furthermore, the results reveal that by increasing of the nanoparticle volume fraction, the average Nusselt number increases.     

All-glass vacuum tube collector heat transfer model used in forced-circulation solar water heating system

The aim of this paper is to establish the heat transfer model of all-glass vacuum tube collector used in forced-circulation solar water heating system. In this model, the simplified heat transfer of collector is composed of the natural convection in single glass tube and forced flow in manifold header. Thus the heat balance equation of water in single tube and the heat balance equation of water in manifold header have been established. The flow equation is also built by analyzing the friction and buoyancy in tube. Through solved these equations the relationship between the collector average temperature, the outlet temperature and natural convection flow rate have been obtained. From this relationship and energy balance equation of collector, the collector outlet temperature can be calculated. The validated experiments of this model were carried out in winter of Beijing.     

Performance evaluation of a solar thermal energy storage system using nanoparticle-enhanced phase change material

This paper presents a numerical investigation on the thermal performance of a solar latent heat storage unit composed of rectangular slabs combined with a flat-plate solar collector. The rectangular slabs of the storage unit are vertically arranged and filled with phase change material (PCM: RT50) dispersed with high conductive nanoparticles (Al₂O₃). A heat transfer fluid (HTF: water) goes flow in the solar collector and receives solar thermal energy form the absorber area, then circulates between the slabs to transfer heat by forced convection to nanoparticle-enhanced phase change material (NEPCM). A numerical model based on the finite volume method and the conservation equations was developed to model the heat transfer and flow processes in the storage unit. The developed model was validated by comparing the obtained results with the experimental, numerical and theoretical results published in the literature. The thermal performance of the investigated latent heat storage unit combined with the solar collector was evaluated under the meteorological data of a representative day of the month of July in Marrakesh city, Morocco. The effect of the dispersion of high conductive nanoparticles on the thermal behavior and storage performance was also evaluated and compared with the case of base PCM without additives.     

Fabrication and testing of a non-glass vacuum-tube collector for solar energy utilization

An evacuated tubular solar collector was fabricated from acrylics for improved resistance to shattering. A plasmatron was employed to apply a thin gas-barrier coating to the surfaces of the plastic tube to prevent/alleviate gas infiltration. Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of vacuum level on the performance of the non-glass vacuum-tube solar collector. Inserted in the evacuated tube was a finned heat pipe for solar energy collection and heat transfer to a water tank. Time variations of temperatures on the heat pipe surface and in the water tank were recorded and analyzed for different degrees of vacuum in the collector. The steady-state temperature of the non-glass collector was compared to that of a commercial glass vacuum-tube collector to assess the feasibility of the use of evacuated plastic tubes for solar energy collection. A simple analytical model was also developed to assist in understanding and analyzing the transient behavior and heat losses of the vacuum-tube solar collector.     

水在玻璃管真空管太阳集热器热性能计算与分析

在水在玻璃管式全玻璃真空管集热器能量平衡分析的基础上，推导了集热器热损系数、效率因子等性能参数计算公式，理论计算结果与实验数据吻合良好。计算分析表明，真空管热损系数与吸热管温和环境温度之差是非线性关系，将两者的计算关系式按环境温度分段整理将使计算结果更接近实际；随着吸热管内对流换热系数的增大，其对效率因子和效率的影响逐渐减小，这说明对于水在玻璃管连接方式而言，为得到较大的管内对流换热系数而将流速过度提高是没有必要的；涂层发射率对集热器的热损系数和效率影响较大，降低涂层发射率是提高集热器效率的有效途径。     

The performance simulation of all-glass vacuum tubes with coaxial fluid conduit

A numerical investigation has been carried out for a solar system, which consists of all-glass (double skin) solar vacuum tubes. Water is heated as it flows through the coaxial fluid conduit inserted in each tube. The space between the exterior of the fluid conduit and the glass tube is filled with antifreeze solution. This is to facilitate heat transfer from the solar heated absorber surface to water and to prevent the functional problems due to freezing in frigid weather conditions. Results show good agreement when compared with other experimental data demonstrating the reliability of the present model. The one-dimensional numerical model could be used efficiently in designing all-glass solar collector tubes with different geometrical parameters other than those considered in the present analysis.     

CPC内聚光式热管集热管温度特性研究

为提高太阳能热水系统的输出温度,将CPC聚光技术应用于热管式真空集热管中,开发了一种新型的CPC内聚光式热管集热管。对该集热管建立数学模型,模拟计算其传热过程,获得了导热肋片温度、热管冷凝段温度等参数随太阳辐射强度的变化规律,并通过试验验证了数学模型的可靠性;与常规热管式真空管集热管传热特性相对比,证实了该集热管可大幅提高太阳能热水器输出温度。     

直通式太阳能真空管集热器热性能分析

通过对直通式太阳能真空管传热模型的分析,在导出单根带翅片与不带翅片的直通式太阳能真空管的总热损失系数、效率因子、热迁移因子和瞬时效率的基础上,建立了直通式太阳能真空管的性能预测模型;针对由多根并联、顺流布置的直通式太阳能真空管组成的平行流集热器,对比计算了带翅片与不带翅片两种真空管及由其组成的集热器的瞬时效率。结果表明,在工质流量,进口温度,环境温度等条件相同的情况下带翅片的直通式太阳能真空管以及由其构成的集热器的瞬时效率分别比不带翅片的太阳能真空管及集热器提高很多;并联直通式太阳能真空管间的流量分配不均匀性致使集热器的整体效率低于单根真空管的瞬时效率。     

CFD analysis on the influence of helical carving in a vortex flow solar reactor

Solar thermal cracking of natural gas is a promising technology, which has attracted researchers in recent years for its potential to lead to the development of CO₂ free hydrogen production process. However, experimental access to the reaction chamber of solar cracking reactors is a challenge due to the high temperature process as the instruments capable of measuring fluid flow cannot survive the medium inside the reactor. However, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can provide an insight into the flow, where experimental access is limited or not possible. This paper presents a CFD analysis for directly irradiated solar thermochemical reactor to characterize the influence of flow behavior on the heat transfer and solar cracking process. The heat transfer by radiation from carbon particles is considered by providing global absorption and scattering coefficients in the computational domain obtained from Mie code. The flow field is based on RNG k–? model derived using renormalization group theory. This technique accounts for the effect of swirl on turbulence thereby enhancing accuracy for the swirl flows. Validation of the numerical results is carried out by making a comparison with the experimental results. Highlighting the effects of carving on the solar reactor walls, this study presents numerical analyses of solar reactor geometry for two cases; namely, when there is no vortex forming carving in the cavity, and when there is vortex forming helical carving. The results show that carving has significant influence on the flow behavior, however, it has very little effect on the outlet temperature. The numerical results also show that the radiative heat transfer mechanism is the dominant means of heat transfer compared to the effects of conduction and convection.     

Three-dimensional CFD analysis for simulating the greenhouse effect in solar chimney power plants using a two-band radiation model

The greenhouse effect in the solar collector has a fundamental role to produce the upward buoyancy force in solar chimney power plant systems. This study underlines the importance of the greenhouse effect on the buoyancy-driven flow and heat transfer characteristics through the system. For this purpose, a three-dimensional unsteady model with the RNG k–ε turbulence closure was developed, using computational fluid dynamics techniques. In this model, to solve the radiative transfer equation the discrete ordinates (DO) radiation model was implemented, using a two-band radiation model. To simulate radiation effects from the sun's rays, the solar ray tracing algorithm was coupled to the calculation via a source term in the energy equation. Simulations were carried out for a system with the geometry parameters of the Manzanares power plant. The effects of the solar insolation and pressure drop across the turbine on the flow and heat transfer of the system were considered. Based on the numerical results, temperature profile of the ground surface, thermal collector efficiency and power output were calculated and the results were validated by comparing with experimental data of this prototype power plant. Furthermore, enthalpy rise through the collector and energy loss from the chimney outlet between 1-band and two-band radiation model were compared. The analysis showed that simulating the greenhouse effect has an important role to accurately predict the characteristics of the flow and heat transfer in solar chimney power plant systems.     

空气作工质的真空集热管内流动与换热分析

针对热水作工质时真空集热管内普遍存在的冻结、腐蚀等问题,本文采用空气作工质,推导了空气作工质时真空集热管的集热效率、热损系数和集热管出口温度的方程,分析了影响空气作工质时各项参数对集热器热性能的影响。通过改变集热管进口空气流量来获得尽可能高出口温度的热空气,从而降低热损系数,提高集热效率。此外,由于热空气可以直接送入干燥室干燥物料,不需要二次转换,节能效果好。由理论分析和试验结果可以预见,利用空气作工质的真空传热管具有潜在的应用价值和前景。     

Measurement and simulation of flow rate in a water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heater

This paper evaluates the characteristics of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters including assessment of the circulation rate through single ended tubes. A numerical model of the heat transfer and fluid flow inside a single-ended evacuated tube has been developed assuming no interaction between adjacent tubes in the collector array. Flow measurement using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) has been undertaken to validate the numerical model. The experimental rig consists of a single full-scale tube coupled to a storage tank. A non-dimensional correlation has been developed of the circulation rate through a single evacuated tube mounted at 45° inclination over a diffuse reflector. Simulation results show that the natural convection flow rate in the tube is high enough to disturb the tank’s stratification and that the tank temperature strongly affects the circulation flow rate through the tubes. Circumferential heat distribution was found to be an important parameter influencing the flow structure and circulation rate through the tube, hence a separate correlation needs to be developed if a concentrating reflector is incorporated into the collector.     

Performance of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters

The performance of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters is evaluated using experimental measurements of optical and heat loss characteristics and a simulation model of the thermosyphon circulation in single-ended tubes. The performance of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar collector systems are compared with flat plate solar collectors in a range of locations. The performance of a typical 30 tube evacuated tube array was found to be lower than a typical 2 panel flat plate array for domestic water heating in Sydney.     

A numerical investigation of a photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) collector

The photovoltaic thermal collector can provide thermal and heat power at the same time.In this paper, a photovoltaic/thermal sheet and tube collector has been numerically investigated. The paper focuses on the development of a hybrid solar collector PV/T. This model will be applied to optimize the operation of the PVT collector in the semi-arid climate. A mathematical model has been developed to determine the dynamic behavior of the collector, based on the energy balance of six main components namely a transparent cover, a PV module, a plate absorber, a tube, water in the tube and insulation. It has been validated by comparing the obtained simulation results with experimental results available in literature, where good agreement has been noted. Using our developed model, the heat and electrical power of sheet and tube collector has been analyzed for four typical days of year with the meteorological parameters of Monastir, Tunisia. Furthermore, the effect of solar radiation, the inlet water temperature, the number of glazing covers and the conductive heat transfer coefficient between plate absorber and PV module have been involved to identify their influence on the thermal and electrical efficiencies. The monthly thermal and electrical energies is also evaluated.     

Heat transfer analysis of receiver for large aperture parabolic trough solar collector

Parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) is one of the most proven technologies for large‐scale solar thermal power generation. Currently, the cost of power generation from PTSC is expensive as compared with conventional power generation. The capital/power generation cost can be reduced by increasing aperture sizes of the collector. However, increase in aperture of the collector leads to higher heat flux on the absorber surface and results in higher thermal gradient. Hence, the analysis of heat distribution from the absorber to heat transfer fluid (HTF) and within the absorber is essential to identify the possibilities of failure of the receiver. In this article, extensive heat transfer analysis (HTA) of the receiver is performed for various aperture diameter of a PTSC using commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS Fluent 19.0. The numerical simulations of the receiver are performed to analyze the temperature distribution around the circumference of the absorber tube as well as along the length of tube, the rate of heat transfer from the absorber tube to the HTF, and heat losses from the receiver for various geometric and operating conditions such as collector aperture diameter, mass flow rate, heat loss coefficient (HLC), HTF, and its inlet temperature. It is observed that temperature gradient around the circumference of the absorber and heat losses from the receiver increases with collector aperture. The temperature gradient around the circumference of the absorber tube wall at 2 m length from the inlet are observed as 11, 37, 48, 74, and 129 K, respectively, for 2.5‐, 5‐, 5.77‐, 7.5‐, and 10‐m aperture diameter of PTSC at mass flow rate of 1.25 kg/s and inlet temperature of 300 K for therminol oil as HTF. To minimize the thermal gradient around the absorber circumference, HTFs with better heat transfer characteristics are explored such as molten salt, liquid sodium, and NaK78. Liquid sodium offers a significant reduction in temperature gradient as compared of other HTFs for all the aperture sizes of the collector. It is found that the temperature gradient around the circumference of the absorber tube wall at a length of 2 m is reduced to 4, 8, 10, 13, and 18 K, respectively, for the above‐mentioned mass flow rate with liquid sodium as HTF. The analyses are also performed for different HTF inlet temperature in order to study the behavior of the receiver. Based on the HTA, it is desired to have larger aperture parabolic trough collector to generate higher temperature from the solar field and reduce the capital cost. To achieve higher temperature and better performance of the receiver, HTF with good thermophysical properties may be preferable to minimize the heat losses and thermal gradient around the circumference of the absorber tube.     

Experimental Study on Performance Enhancement of Evacuated Tube by Constant Heat Flux Mode

The evacuated tube collector with U shape copper absorber tube is considered for the analysis. The experimental investigation is conducted on parabolic trough collector with U shape tube as absorber tube. The effect of the sudden fluctuations in the solar radiation on the performance of the collector is reduced by means of evacuated tube collector filled with thermic fluids. The analysis is performed with different thermic fluids such as dowtherm, therminol66, glycol water and ethylene glycol, are filled in the annular space between inner glass tube and U shape copper absorber tube. The experimentation is carried out at various mass flow rates from 20 to 100 LPH with the step-up flow rate of 20 LPH. A comparative study is carried out on various parameters such as effect of mass flow rate over instantaneous efficiency, useful heat gain and work input, etc. The characteristic curve of cylindrical parabolic trough collector (PTC) is also discussed. Experimental results show that, ethylene glycol gives better efficiency over mass flow rate and therminol66 gives best power heat ratio. Heat transfer mediums and its properties [specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity] for all specified heat transfer fluids are also discussed. The results obtained with various specified heat transfer fluids filled in the annulus space of evacuated tube are compared with plain evacuated tube. It is observed that there is significant enhancement of overall instantaneous collection efficiency of the parabolic trough collector.     

整体式太阳能空气集热器热性能研究

对一种新型的整体式太阳能空气集热器,根据简化的物理模型利用CFD软件对集热器内部的流场、压力场和温度场进行数值模拟分析,并与传统拼装式集热器阵列进行对比。结果表明,传统拼装式集热器阵列内部存在流动的滞留区,内部温度分布不均匀,吸热板有局部的高温区域;整体式空气集热器内部流场、压力场和温度场分布比较均匀,有明显的温度梯度,吸热板与空气能够更好的进行对流换热。因此,整体式空气集热器的热性能优于传统拼装式空气集热器阵列。     

Modelling of parabolic trough direct steam generation solar collectors

Solar electric generation systems (SEGS) currently in operation are based on parabolic trough solar collectors using synthetic oil heat transfer fluid in the collector loop to transfer thermal energy to a Rankine cycle turbine via a heat exchanger. To improve performance and reduce costs direct steam generation in the collector has been proposed. In this paper the efficiency of parabolic trough collectors is determined for operation with synthetic oil (current SEGS plants) and water (future proposal) as the working fluids. The thermal performance of a trough collector using Syltherm 800 oil as the working fluid has been measured at Sandia National Laboratory and is used in this study to develop a model of the thermal losses from the collector. The model is based on absorber wall temperature rather than fluid bulk temperature so it can be used to predict the performance of the collector with any working fluid. The effects of absorber emissivity and internal working fluid convection effects are evaluated. An efficiency equation for trough collectors is developed and used in a simulation model to evaluate the performance of direct steam generation collectors for different radiation conditions and different absorber tube sizes. Phase change in the direct steam generation collector is accounted for by separate analysis of the liquid, boiling and dry steam zones.