Numerical and experimental Investigation on a parabolic trough Receiver tube with toroidal rings For improved thermal performance

Abstract

The Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology in the present scenario plays a critical role in power generation sector and in process heat application industries because of its ability to attain higher operating temperatures. Among the various CSP technologies available, a Solar Parabolic Trough Collector (SPTC) is very much suitable for variety of thermal applications because of its higher power density and modularity. The higher rate of energy conversion in a SPTC system leads to higher thermal performance with reduction in cost of thermal energy produced. According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the capacity addition of the CSP systems reached around 6.3 GW globally in 2019, which is nearly five times larger compared to the capacity addition in 2010. With the global per capita energy consumption reaching 1.29 toe, the need for energy, especially the access towards the clean and green energy is rising at an alarming rate to meet out the increasing energy demand. newlineInternationally, China and USA together consumes nearly 40% of the total electricity produced, with India consuming 5.4% to occupy the third position. The levelized cost of electricity produced from the utility scale CSP systems has reduced to about 47% in 2019 when compared to 2010. The SPTC technology is the most suitable one for the power generation in an extensive range with the capability to reduce the cost of electricity produced. Also, the successful operation of the Solar Energy Generation System (SEGS) plants in the Mohave Desert of California, USA makes the SPTC technology much more reliable for power generation. This trend has made a huge addition of 72% of the renewable energy systems to the process worldwide newline