Modeling and validation of a parabolic solar collector with a heat pipe absorber

Abstract

Cylindrical parabolic solar concentrators of small concentration ratio are attractive options for working temperatures around <TEX>$120^{\circ}C$</TEX>. The heat gained can be utilized in many applications such as air conditioning, space heating, heating water and many others. These collectors can be easily manufactured and do not need to track the sun continuously. Using a heat pipe as a solar absorber makes the system more compact and easy to install. This study is devoted to modeling a system of cylindrical parabolic solar concentrators of small concentration ratio (around 5) fitted with a heat pipe absorber with a porous wick. The heat pipe is surrounded by evacuated glass tube to reduce thermal losses from the heat pipe. The liquid and vapor flow equations, energy equation, the internal and external boundary conditions were taken into consideration. The system of equations was solved and the numerical results were validated against available experimental and numerical results. The validated heat pipe model was inserted in an evacuated transparent glass tube as the absorber of the cylindrical parabolic collector. A calculation procedure was developed for the system, a computer program was developed and tested and numerical simulations were realized for the whole system. An experimental solar collector of small concentration, fitted with evacuated tube heat pipe absorber was constructed and instrumented. Experiments were realized with the concentrator axis along the E-W direction. Results of the instantaneous efficiency and heat gain were compared with numerical simulations realized under the same conditions and reasonably good agreement was found.