Heat transfer enhancement of concentrated solar absorber using hollow cylindrical fins filled with phase change material

A concentrated solar absorber with finned phase change materials was experimentally studied using a Scheffler type parabolic dish concentrator. The absorber's inner surface was fixed with hollow cylindrical containers filled with phase change material (PCM) for heat transfer augmentation. The absorber's selected PCM was acetanilide (Melting point of 116 °C)—the cylindrical capsules protruding into the fluid side to create turbulence and mixing and acting as fins. The absorber surface temperature was observed to be about 130–150 °C during the outdoor tests while passing fluid through the absorber. The fluid flow rate varied from 60 to 100 kg/h during the outdoor experiments. The peak energy and exergy efficiency of parabolic dish collector (PDC) at the fluid flow rate of 80 kg/h with PCM integrated solar absorber was found to be about 67.88% and 6.96%, respectively. The integration of cylindrical PCM containers resulted in more heat transfer augmentation in the solar absorbers. The optimized solar absorber could be suitable for various applications like steam generation, biomass gasification, space heating, and hydrogen generation.