Chapter 14 - Solar thermal system—an insight into parabolic trough solar collector and its modeling

Abstract

Solar to thermal energy conversion has extensive usage in power generation, desalination, as process heat in industries, and other applications. A setup required for this kind of transformation is generally termed as a solar thermal system; such conversion can be attained using parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs), which reflects one of the most energy efficient and proven technology in this field. Looking at its potential applications, it can be inferred that this kind of system requires large infrastructure and capital so a modeling approach is a viable option to analyze its performance. The modeling approach is more effective if the dynamics of the system is nicely defined and can be modeled using general laws of physics, which is also favorable in the case of PTSC. This chapter concentrates on providing the details of different prevailing modeling approaches for PTSC from a uniform model to a statistical model, basics of different modeling approaches, along with the related studies so as to provide a simplified base to the reader. A complete overview of PTSC and its components is explored; types and required features of critical components, such as heat transfer fluid, absorber coatings, and tracking system, are emphasized. A historical synopsis of PTSC’s journey to grow and become a potential leading solar concentrator is reported. It also evaluates the possibility of PTSC to be used in different applications with the exploration of associated modeling-based studies. Overall, this chapter provides insights into different prospects of modeling of PTSC by inspecting the substantial literature related to the field.