Abstract
In the present work an experimental program aimed at assessing the mechanical behavior of an innovative parabolic solar trough is presented. More specifically, a lightweight and low-cost collector making large use of adhesive joints, which can be easily assembled on-site, still performing at a high efficiency, was designed. Static and fatigue tests were performed on a full-scale prototype of the collector in the pre-production stage. The tests included differential torsion, concentrated and distributed bending, and distributed load (wind effect). During the tests, a network of strain gauges was placed in the most critical locations to measure the strain field, while laser sensors and cable transducers were placed in strategic positions to measure the displacements. The results demonstrate the strengths of the innovative parabolic trough collector and support the assessment of its structural integrity.
Highlights
Concentrated solar power systems (CSP) represent very promising sources for the sustainable production of energy and, in recent years, many efforts have been made by industrial companies and academic researchers to render this technology more and more profitable [1]
The main reason why CSP systems are still not used on a large scale is related to their still non-competitive costs, which are well described by the parameter “levelized cost of electricity” (LCOE), which summarizes an economical assessment of the average total cost to build and operate a power-generating asset over its lifetime, divided by the total energy output of the asset over that lifetime
The tested parabolic trough collector presents a series of design innovations resulting in a significant cost reduction and making it suitable for real on-site
Summary
Concentrated solar power systems (CSP) represent very promising sources for the sustainable production of energy and, in recent years, many efforts have been made by industrial companies and academic researchers to render this technology more and more profitable [1]. CSP systems convert solar power by using mirrors, or lenses, to reflect and concentrate a large amount of sunlight onto a receiver, which in turn collects and transfers the solar energy to a heat transfer fluid, which can be used to supply heat for end-user applications, to generate electricity by means of conventional steam turbines, and in many other applications [2,3]. The main reason why CSP systems are still not used on a large scale is related to their still non-competitive costs, which are well described by the parameter “levelized cost of electricity” (LCOE), which summarizes an economical assessment of the average total cost to build and operate a power-generating asset over its lifetime, divided by the total energy output of the asset over that lifetime. It turns out that the LCOE of CSPs is high compared to other energy production
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