Design and optical performance of CPC based compound plane concentrators. (September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tang, Feng; Li, Guihua; Tang, Runsheng
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 95(2016)
• Page Start: 140
• Page End: 151
• Publication Date: 2016-09
• Subjects: Compound parabolic concentrator -- Compound plane concentrator (CPC-A) -- Design of CPC-A -- Optical performance; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2016.04.004
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: To simplify the fabrication of compound parabolic concentrators (CPC) with a one-sided flat absorber and make solar radiation on the absorber more uniform, an attempt is made here to use multiple plane mirrors in place of parabolic reflectors to construct a compound plane concentrator (CPC-A, in short). The design procedure of such concentrator as an alternative to CPCs is presented based on the edge-ray principle, and its optical performance and design optimization are theoretically investigated. Analysis shows that the effective acceptance half-angle ( θ ea ) of CPC-A, dependent on plane mirror's number (N) and geometry of CPC based on which CPC-A is designed, is always less than the acceptance half-angle ( θ a ) of CPC but gradually close to θ a with the increase of N, and the optical efficiency of both CPC-A and CPC is almost identical for solar radiation within θ ea . Results revealed that the annual collectible radiation of CPC-A oriented in the east-west direction is almost identical to that of CPC only if the sun is kept within θ ea for at least 7 h in all day of a year by periodically adjusting its tilt-angle. A further analysis indicates that CPC-A designed based on the edge-ray principle is not an optimal design but can be regarded as optimal geometry for maximizing its annual radiation collection. Highlights: Design procedure of CPC based compound plane concentrators (CPC-A) was suggested. The design of CPC-A with θ ea = 14° and 18° was addressed in details for design considerations. Optical performance comparison between CPC-A and CPC was performed. Optimal geometry of CPC-A for maximizing its annual radiation collection was investigated.