Project Title : Design and Development of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector For Enhanced Thermal Performance
Group Members
Abdullah Rahman (BME 213002)
Zaryab Ahsan Shah (BME 213007)
Supervisor Name: Dr. Muhammad Irfan
Project Description
The project focuses on Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTCs), a solar energy technology utilized for heating purposes in areas with high solar radiation, providing a renewable, clean, and sustainable energy resource to replace conventional fuels. The development of these PTCs is a step towards sustainable development, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of traditional energy sources. The primary objective is to improve the performance and efficiency of the device while developing a feasible solution using cost-effective techniques. The project is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning clean energy, climate action, and sustainable innovation. Efficiency enhancement methods include the use of black painted copper tube to increase the thermal conductivity.
Features
- Electricity Generation: PTCs are widely used in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants to concentrate sunlight, heating a fluid that then produces steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity.
- Industrial Process Heating: The system provides high-temperature heat for a wide range of industrial applications, including food processing, chemical production, cement manufacturing, drying, pasteurization, and distillation.
- Desalination: PTCs supply the necessary thermal energy for distillation processes in desalination plants, converting seawater into fresh water.
- Centralized Heating Systems: In certain regions, they are utilized in heating systems to provide hot water or steam to multiple buildings, offering a solar-powered alternative to fossil fuels for centralized heating.
- High Efficiency: The design achieves higher overall performance compared to non-concentrating solar technologies due to concentrated solar radiation and minimized heat losses from smaller absorber surface areas.
Unique Features
- Optimized Receiver Tube Material: Utilizes copper tubes for the receiver, which are preferred for their superior thermal properties, and coats them with a black selective surface to maximize the absorption of solar energy and minimize heat loss.
- Reflector Coating for Enhanced Capture: Employs silver or aluminum reflective coatings on the parabolic mirror to maximize the amount of solar radiation captured, thereby boosting efficiency.
- Single-Axis Solar Tracking: Implements a single-axis movement mechanism which aligns the trough along an east-west direction, allowing the collector to track the sun from sunrise to sunset to maximize solar energy collection.
Technical Description
Hardware:
The collector’s core hardware consists of a parabolic chromium sheet reflector with an Aperture Area of 1.6 m² and a Concentration Ratio of 8.62. This focuses sunlight onto a black-coated copper receiver tube where the Heat Transfer Fluid (water) circulates. The system is mounted on a rigid frame utilizing a single-axis tracking system for alignment. Fluid circulation in the closed circuit is handled by a 12V DC pump, with a Variable Resistor used for flow rate control. Performance is monitored using a Digital Flowrate meter and multiple temperature sensors placed at the tube’s inlet, outlet, and inside the insulated storage tank.
Software:
The design phase involved developing a CAD model and simulation using SolidWorks to compare theoretical calculations with simulation results. All experimental data, including readings from the flow rate and temperature sensors, as well as ambient temperature, are continuously recorded and maintained in a data sheet using Microsoft Excel for detailed analysis.
