A Solar Simulator for the Measurement of Heat Collection Efficiency of Parabolic Trough Receivers

Abstract

A solar simulator consisting oflinear focus unitsand a fluid circulation systemhas been constructed, and abasicschemeforevaluating heat collection efficiency of parabolic trough receivers has been demonstrated. The linear focal areaalong the 4 m long receiverwas formed byan array of twenty linear focusunits each with a 5kWXenon-short arc ramp. The flux distribution was measured by scanning a heat flux sensor, and the average flux of 24.3 kW/m2 was achieved along the half-round surface of the receiver tube. A parabolic trough receiver with the optical efficiency of 79.3% has been fabricatedand applied tothe demonstration.During irradiating the linear focal flux to the receiver, thecollectedthermal output was measured from the increase in temperature of water running through the receiver.The absoluteheat collection efficiency of 73.9%,defined as the ratioof the collectedthermal outputto theirradiated optical input,was obtained under the thermal equilibrium condition.