Performance comparision of a new-type trough solar concentrator thermal system in different installations

This paper puts forward a new-type trough solar concentrator with a compound surface, which is comprised of two upper paraboloids, lower planar mirrors and one base paraboloid. This structure forms a co-focus where a solar receiver is installed. The performance of the new-type trough solar concentrator combined with a cylinder receiver and a flat plate receiver, respectively, was tested. For comparison, the reflector of the concentrator was made of a polished aluminum sheet and a mirror glass, respectively. The experimental results show that the prototype concentrator systems may have an average efficiency around 40% for the hot water temperature up to 80°C and the ambient temperature below 0°C in winter. To test and verify the performance of the system in higher temperature range, a scaled-down new concentrator of the same structure was made and tested in the outdoor. It was found from the results that the designed new-type trough concentrator can produce 220°C solar heat. It indicates that the proposed design may be promising for solar thermal application at a medium temperature of 80°C -150°C