Designs and performance characteristics of a linear fresnel reflector solar concentrator with a flat vertical absorber

Optical designs and performance characteristics of a linear Fresnel reflector solar concentrator (LFRSC) with a flat vertical absorber have been presented. Two different approaches have been utilized for designing a LFRSC. One of the approaches allows a variation in the width of the constituent mirror elements, while the second approach uses mirror elements of equal width. A detailed performance analysis including the effect of variation in the height of the absorber from the concentrator plane, aperture diameter of the concentrator, width of the absorber and the width of the mirror elements on the concentration on the surface of the absorber has been made for each design. The distribution of local concentration ratio (L.C.R.) on the surface of the absorber, for each design, has been investigated using the ray trace technique. Results are plotted graphically and discussed.