Numerical and experimental analysis of a cross-finned solar receiver for parabolic dish collectors

Abstract

A parabolic dish solar collector (PDC) is used to concentrate solar radiation on a receiver to produce hot water or steam for various thermal applications. The solar receiver of the PDC is one of the significant components to improve the overall efficiency of the PDC. The present study is a numerical and experimental investigation of the thermal performance of a solar receiver with vertical fins with and without cross fins. The fin orientation was investigated using 0.056 kg/s, 0.083 kg/s, and 0.111 kg/s water flow rates. COMSOL Multiphysics® was used to simulate the receiver to determine the receiver’s temperature behavior. The thermal performance parameters such as heat gain, heat loss, convective heat transfer coefficient, and thermal, and exergy efficiency were analyzed under various flow conditions. The cross fins effectively prolong the water residence, increasing turbulence, and heat transfer and reducing heat loss to the surroundings. The receiver with cross fins at higher flow rate conditions shows higher thermal performance than lower flow rate and without fins conditions. The solar radiation during the outdoor testing is in a range of 300–950 W/m2 and the ambient temperature varies from 30-37 °C. The peak average thermal and exergy efficiency obtained for the cross-finned receiver at 0.111 kg/s is 64.4 %, and 6.3 %, respectively. Cross-finned receiver operating at 0.111 kg/s reduced CO2 mitigation rate, estimated at approximately 0.29 tons of CO2 per year, along with a lower carbon credit gain at $0.47. Thus, the proposed cross-fin solar receiver demonstrates improved thermoeconomic performance than conventional receiver designs, offering a more cost-effective design with minimal investment.