Optical Design and Performance Analysis of Linear Focusing Solar Thermal Collectors

Linear Fresnel solar collector is a focusing concentrator suitable for direct steam generation, industrial process heat, and solar space cooling system and hot water generation for different uses. The optical design and performance simulations, experimental and numerical studies on linear Fresnel solar collector were reviewed. Studies on the optical designs and ray-tracing simulations results indicated non-uniform solar flux distributions on the receiver absorber surface. The optical quality of LFC is low due to its higher incidence angle and the cosine factor. Studies on optimizing the optical errors that affects the optical performance of the LFC are lacking in the literature. Ray tracing results at 0o incidence angle indicated three different optical losses-geometric configuration, material properties and focus errors losses. Studies on the lateral drift and uncertainty of the direction of the reflected rays, which adversely affect the concentration factor of the LFC are lacking in the literature. The optical performance of a LFC system can be improved through an optimized optical design - mirrors separation, shapes, width and their orientation.