COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE INVESTIGATIONS ON A SOLAR COMPOUND PARABOLIC CONCENTRATOR

Abstract

A Solar thermal collector with computer aided design have been studied, with newlineemphasis on cost reduction. Cost is the major factor governing applications of newlineconcentrated solar power (CSP) system. There is a need for reliable and simplified newlinemanufacturing process to limit the system costs. Cost reduction is the key issue which newlineneeds to be tackled in order to bring CSP technology into the market. Parabolic newlinereflector profile programming with Auto LISP is developed for construction of newlinecompound parabolic concentrator (CPC) having a flat, one-sided absorber for various newlineCPC configurations by adding aperture width and half-acceptance angle. The study newlineshows that the geometry of the reflectors could be improved and thus reduced losses newlinedue to geometrical imperfections in the optical compound parabolic concentrate newlinesystem and incident more heat flux in the absorber area to increase the collector newlineefficiency. It also indicated that profile generated in Auto LISP could be used for newlinemodeling of multiple channelled concentrators (MCC) which may be used for newlinephotovoltaic cell, as to obtain as much as possible uniform density of concentration on newlinethe it, the analysis of the CPC ray-tracing and to gauge the distribution of the newlineabsorbed solar radiation on the absorber surface. newlineA low cost solar air heater with CPC is fabricated and experimentally tested in Patan, newlineNorth Gujarat (23.8°N, 72°E) and operating performances is determined.The solar newlinedevice has an aperture area of 0.96 m2, a real concentration ratio of two, an newlineacceptance half angle of 30°, and a galvanized iron flat receiver coated with a matt newlineblack paint. The profile of an air heater with a truncated is generated through newlineprogramming with Auto LISP developed for construction of compound parabolic newlineconcentrator (CPC) having a flat one-sided absorber. CPSAH have a large acceptance newlineangle for collection more portion of diffuse and beam solar radiation focusing all over newlinethe day without need to employ a tracking system.