Developing a Design of a Composite Linear Fresnel Mirror Concentrating System

Abstract

The study is aimed at developing a solar power plant module based on flat Fresnel mirrors for use in autonomous solar installations of sufficient capacity in order for individual consumers to obtain thermal, mechanical, or electrical energy. A simpler design technology of manufacturing a composite compact linear Fresnel mirror concentrating system (LFMCS) is presented. A module of a solar installation consisting of an LFMCS with linear flat elements of optimal size, coordinated with the optimal size of the receiver that is installed in the focal zone and converts the energy of concentrated solar radiation flows to thermal energy to generate high-pressure steam. A distinct feature of the new design is that it uses a number of optimally sized linear flat mirrors. The approach to determining the optimal dimensions of flat mirrors is validated. These mirrors are used instead of their parabolic counterparts. The simplest technology of manufacturing a concentrator is proposed. That said, the task of making the radiant flux denser for a more efficient conversion of solar energy to electricity is fulfilled by coordinating the optimal receiver size with the optimal size of flat elements. The specific optimal sizes of linear elements of a 10 × 10 m2 LFMCS are determined by optical-geometric modeling with regard to the optimal size of the receiver located in the focal zone. The optimal process solutions for manufacturing a 10 × 10 m2 LFMCS design with a receiver of dopt = 0.11 m are established that have the highest efficiency at Lopt = 0.072 m of the unified linear elements of the LFMCS.