Comparative assessment of thermal oils and water as working fluids in parabolic trough collectors for enhanced solar power generation

Abstract

Examining the thermal behavior of specific working fluids, namely Syltherm800 and TherminolVP-1, in parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) is imperative for enhancing power generation. This study addresses a crucial gap by conducting computational fluid dynamics simulations through COMSOL Multiphysics software and experimental tests to explore the advantages of utilizing thermal oils over water as a working fluid in PTCs. Experimental tests were performed on a water-based PTC in Iraq to validate the numerical model, considering various operating conditions such as input temperature (323.15–423.15 K) and mass flow rates (0.00926–0.0556 kg/s). Key parameters including output temperature, thermal efficiency, useful heat, and total heat losses were evaluated. The numerical model was validated against experimental data, showing good agreement with an overall discrepancy of 1.7% for the current experiments and 3.18% for literature results. The results indicated that Syltherm800, particularly with a high mass flow rate, outperformed TherminolVP-1 and water in terms of overall thermal performance. The optimal PTC thermal efficiency was achieved in July with a mass flow rate of 0.0556 kg/s and an input temperature of 348.15 K. The optimal range for PTC thermal efficiency over four months was between 50% and 70%. The endorsement of thermal oils in PTCs is supported by their low vapor pressure, superior thermal stability, and extended lifespan.