Solar concentrator with uniform irradiance for particulate photocatalytic hydrogen production system. (28th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Yan; Wei, Qingyu; Hou, Junyi; Liu, Huan; Zhao, Liang
• Is Part Of: International journal of hydrogen energy. Volume 41:Number 36(2016)
• Page Start: 16040
• Page End: 16047
• Publication Date: 2016-09-28
• Subjects: Hydrogen production -- Surface uniform concentrator -- Optical efficiency -- Uniformity -- Energy conversion efficiency; Hydrogen as fuel -- Periodicals; Hydrogène (Combustible) -- Périodiques; Hydrogen as fuel; Periodicals; 665.81
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.06.074
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-3199

Abstract

Abstract: The solar concentrator is an essential part of the particulate photocatalytic hydrogen production system (PPHS). In this study, a mathematical model was developed and applied to avoid non-uniform concentration of solar intensity on the receiving surface of a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC). The reflector profile curve was calculated via a first-order differential equation. The geometric concentration ratio and bottom interval parameters were changed to optimize the surface uniform concentrator (SUC). The overall performance of the concentrator was then assessed based on the optical efficiency and uniformity on the receiver in ray tracing software. A prototype of a SUC was manufactured to validate the calculation results. It is found that the conversion efficiency of solar energy to hydrogen with the SUC was 8.57% higher than that of the CPC. Highlights: A design method of surface uniform concentrator (SUC) was proposed. Ray tracing technique was employed to evaluate the optical performance of SUC. A particulate photocatalytic hydrogen production system (PPHS) was established. The performance of photocatalytic hydrogen production was investigated by PPHS.