RECENT IMPROVEMENTS OF THE OPTICAL AND THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PARABOLIC TROUGH SOLAR COLLECTOR SYSTEMS

Parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs) are commonly used for applications that reach a temperature of up to 500 °C. Recently, improving the efficiency PTSCs has been focus research because have advantages, such as cost and size reduction improved optical thermal performance. This study summarizes relevant published on preparation, properties experimental behavior PTSCs. Analyzing modeling method presents steady transient heat transfer analysis. Optical depends material properties, mirror reflectance, glass cover transmittance, receiver absorption–emission, intercept factor, geometry factor incidence angle. Also analyzed discussed models in computational fluid dynamics physical Lastly, studies PTSC performance enhancement, including novel designs, enhancement passive laden flows nanoparticles inside absorber tube, presented examined separately. Nanofluids illustrated their advantages ability increase rates. Moreover, other works aimed enhance evaluated.