Simulation of a linear Fresnel solar collector concentrator

A trapezoidal cavity receiver for a linear Fresnel solar collector is analysed and optimized via ray-trace and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The number of receiver absorber tubes and the inclination of lateral walls in the cavity are checked with simplified ray-trace simulation. The CFD simulation makes possible to optimize cavity depth and rock wool insulation thickness. The simulated global heat transfer coefficient, based on primary mirror area, is correlated with a power-law fit instead of a parabolic fit. The correlation results are compared with heat transfer coefficients available for linear Fresnel collector prototypes. Copyright The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.