TY - JOUR
T1 - Performance optimization of larger-aperture parabolic trough concentrator solar power station using multi-stage heating technology
AU - Jing-hu, Gong
AU - Yong, Li
AU - Jun, Wang
AU - Lund, Peter
N1 - Funding Information:
The work has been supported in part by the National Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 51736006 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/4/1
Y1 - 2023/4/1
N2 - The large-aperture parabolic trough concentrator (PTC) solar power can reduce the initial investment and increase the outlet temperature. However, the use of a single absorber tube (AT) cannot meet the requirements of maximize efficiency and the outlet temperature of 580 °C. Therefore, a multi-stage heating technology is proposed to improve the efficiency and outlet temperature in this study. The single-loop, consisting of a semi-circular AT with two outer fins, a semi-circular and circular AT, makes the temperature rise from 300 °C to 580 °C. The results show an optical efficiency of 79.1% and a thermal efficiency of 72.8%, for a 1400 m single-loop and a mass flow of 6.1–19.9 kg/s (corresponding to DNI of 400–100 W/m2). The large-aperture multi-stage PTC solar power established in Dunhuang, China (E 94.66, N 40.14) has an annual average solar-to-electric efficiency of 24.50%, higher than 20% at present. At the same time, homogenizing the solar radiation flux at the AT surface at the high-temperature section can reduce the length of the high-temperature region and increase the thermal efficiency, and the solar-to-electric efficiency of a large-aperture multi-stage PTC solar power can be increased by improving the thermal efficiency and the exit temperature.
AB - The large-aperture parabolic trough concentrator (PTC) solar power can reduce the initial investment and increase the outlet temperature. However, the use of a single absorber tube (AT) cannot meet the requirements of maximize efficiency and the outlet temperature of 580 °C. Therefore, a multi-stage heating technology is proposed to improve the efficiency and outlet temperature in this study. The single-loop, consisting of a semi-circular AT with two outer fins, a semi-circular and circular AT, makes the temperature rise from 300 °C to 580 °C. The results show an optical efficiency of 79.1% and a thermal efficiency of 72.8%, for a 1400 m single-loop and a mass flow of 6.1–19.9 kg/s (corresponding to DNI of 400–100 W/m2). The large-aperture multi-stage PTC solar power established in Dunhuang, China (E 94.66, N 40.14) has an annual average solar-to-electric efficiency of 24.50%, higher than 20% at present. At the same time, homogenizing the solar radiation flux at the AT surface at the high-temperature section can reduce the length of the high-temperature region and increase the thermal efficiency, and the solar-to-electric efficiency of a large-aperture multi-stage PTC solar power can be increased by improving the thermal efficiency and the exit temperature.
KW - Absorber tube
KW - Larger-aperture parabolic trough concentrator
KW - Multi-stage heating
KW - Solar power
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146276900&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.energy.2023.126640
DO - 10.1016/j.energy.2023.126640
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85146276900
SN - 0360-5442
VL - 268
JO - Energy
JF - Energy
M1 - 126640
ER -
