I want to find out the reflected solar flux distribution on the collector tube of parabolic concentrator. How can I simulate it? Is there any method to find out the distribution?
The following informatioin may be useful for your studies
Fluid flow in parabolic trough systems leads to instability in the tube due to the concentrated solar flux on only one-half of the absorber tube, resulting in temperature asymmetricity. The resulting stresses cause deflection and bending of the tube. This paper deals with direct steam systems and proposes incorporation of internal helical fins within the tube to reduce temperature variation. The fins provide an orderly distribution of flow from the ‘hot’ to the ‘cold’ side of the tube. A CFD simulation was carried out for three fin pitches, and an aluminium pipe without fins. The effect on heat transfer improvement and temperature asymmetry is presently reported. It is shown that the thermal gradient between the upper and lower temperature for the pipe without a helical fin (20 K) is considerably higher compared with the pipes with 100, 200 and 400 mm pitch helical fins, i.e. 10.8, 13, 14.9 K, respectively. Also, the thermal gradient for the aluminium pipe was also much lower when compared with the steel pipe.
Solar absorber tube analysis: thermal simulation using CFD
Y. Aldali1, T. Muneer1,* and D. Henderson
Int.National J ; Low carbon Technology, 8(1),14-19, 2011
ijlct.oxfordjournals.org/content/8/1/14.full
the solar energy flux distribution (non-uniform distribution) on the outer wall of the receiver of parabolic solar collector receiver can be calculated by the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing Method (you can use the software Soltrace to do so).
Some references
He, Y. L., Xiao, J., Cheng, Z. D., & Tao, Y. B. (2011). A MCRT and FVM coupled simulation method for energy conversion process in parabolic trough solar collector. Renewable Energy, 36(3), 976-985.
Cheng, Z. D., He, Y. L., Xiao, J., Tao, Y. B., & Xu, R. J. (2010). Three-dimensional numerical study of heat transfer characteristics in the receiver tube of parabolic trough solar collector. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 37(7), 782-787.
Mwesigye, A., Bello-Ochende, T., & Meyer, J. P. (2014). Minimum entropy generation due to heat transfer and fluid friction in a parabolic trough receiver with non-uniform heat flux at different rim angles and concentration ratios. Energy, 73, 606-617.
Cheng, Z. D., He, Y. L., Cui, F. Q., Xu, R. J., & Tao, Y. B. (2012). Numerical simulation of a parabolic trough solar collector with nonuniform solar flux conditions by coupling FVM and MCRT method. Solar Energy, 86(6), 1770-1784.
Good luck
Please read these papers and you will find what you are looking for …
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261913008969
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0973082612000683/1-s2.0-S0973082612000683-main.pdf?_tid=3fcb45a8-8ccb-11e4-bf26-00000aacb362&acdnat=1419576710_a4b824c7ae6c615bcdc9d56e8a74a654
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