Experimental Analysis of the Influence of Flow Rate on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector

doi:10.12096/j.2096-4528.pgt.21072

Abstract

Abstract:

The parabolic trough solar collector is a commercialized and mature concentrating solar collector, which is widely used in the field of medium temperature solar industrial heat utilization and high temperature solar thermal power generation. However, the inherent drawback of solar energy is contrary to the stable and continuous operations expected by the energy supply system. Usually, adjusting the flow rate of the heat transfer fluid is a method to let the collector provide a relatively stable output under varying solar irradiation conditions, which plays a key role in the stability of its downstream equipments. In order to clarify how the change of flow rate affects the transient thermal behaviors of the collectors, this study carried out experiments with the step-change of the flow rate by the manual adjustment, and then carried out the analysis of Reynolds number, Nusselt number and the convective heat transfer coefficient of the heat transfer fluid with different flow rates.

Key words: solar thermal power generation, carbon peak, carbon neutrality, greenhouse gas emission, parabolic trough solar collector, heat transfer characteristics, convective heat transfer coefficient

CLC Number:

TK513.1

Li XU, Feihu SUN, Jun LI, Qiangqiang ZHANG. Experimental Analysis of the Influence of Flow Rate on Heat Transfer Characteristics of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector[J]. Power Generation Technology, 2021, 42(6): 665-672.

Figures/Tables 5

Fig.1 Parabolic trough solar collectors used in the experiment

Fig.2 Measured data

Fig.3 Thermal conductivity k, density ρ and specific heat capacity c of heat transfer fluid as a function of temperature

Fig.4 Kinematic viscosity ν, thermal diffusivity α and Prandtl number Pr of heat transfer fluid as a function of temperature

Fig.5 Re, Nu and hHTF based on the collector outlet temperatures

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