DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF OFFSET TYPE SOLAR PARABOLIC CONCENTRATING

ABSTACT: In this paper will be presented the process of design, construction and optical ray tracing analysis of a low cost solar concentrator for medium temperature applications. To avoid complexity of design of a specific shaped surface a common offset parabolic antenna is used to make the reflector. This study develops and applies a new mathematical model for estimating the intercept factor of a new solar concentrator based on the geometric and optical behavior of the concentrator in cartesian coordinates. The goal of this paper is to present mathematical model and optical design of a low-tech solar concentrator that can be used as a potentially low-cost tool for laboratory-scale research on the medium-temperature thermal processes, hot water systems, heating systems, cooling systems, polygeneration systems etc. The paper also describes the ray tracing study with a solar concentrating system consist of three offset parabolic dish reflector. The total flux on receiver and the distribution of irradiance for absorbed flux on center and periphery receiver are given. The total flux at the focal region is 2188 W.