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Solar Flux Measuring and Optical Efficiency Forecasting of the Linear Fresnel Reflector Concentrator after Dust Accumulation

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Abstract

The linear Fresnel reflector concentrator (LFRC) is widely used in the field of solar energy utilization due to its simple structure, low cost, and excellent wind resistance. Nevertheless, the LFRC operates outdoors all year round, and the dust accumulation on the mirror will reduce the optical efficiency of the system, so it needs to be perfected and improved. In this paper, a focal plane energy flux experimental device was designed to test the energy flux of the system under different dust accumulation times. The results indicate that, the dust density on the mirror increased and the energy flux on the focal plane decreased with increase of dust accumulation time. After undergoing dust accumulation for 35 days, the dust density on the mirror reached 4.33 g/m2 and the average energy flux on the focal plane decreased to 1.78 kW/m2. Additionally, the variation of reflectivity caused by dust accumulation on mirror was taken as the quantitative index, and a prediction model for the impact of dust on the optical efficiency of the system was proposed. The results will provide guidance for improving the optical efficiency of the LFRC.

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Abbreviations

CCD:

charge-coupled device

CPC:

compound parabolic collector

CSP:

concentrating solar power

E :

energy flux/kW·m2

E ave :

average energy flux on the light spot/kW·m2

E max :

maximum energy flux on the light spot/kW·m−2

ΔE :

uniformity of light spot energy obtained by the receiver before dust

e 1 :

accumulation/W

e 2 :

energy obtained by the receiver after the accumulation/W

F c :

scale coefficient

f(e):

end loss coefficient of concentrator

f(i):

shadow and occlusion loss coefficient of concentrator

f(ξ):

correction coefficient of the intercept factor

G b :

direct solar radiation that actually incidents on the concentrator/W·m−2

G D :

direct solar radiation measured by the instrument/W·m−2

LFRC:

linear Fresnel reflector concentrator

PV:

photovoltaic module

R :

radius of dust/cm

u c :

relative standard uncertainty of the energy flux

u 1 :

uncertainty component caused by the repeatability of measurement

u 2 :

uncertainty component caused by the test accuracy of heat flux sensor

u 3 :

uncertainty component caused by the accuracy of the CCD camera

u 4 :

uncertainty component caused by the error of Lambert target

α :

metal tube absorptivity of collector

γ :

intercept factor

δ :

dust accumulation density of the mirror

η 0 :

optical efficiency

η cpc :

geometric optical efficiency of CPC

θ :

incidence angle/(°)

κ :

diaphaneity of dust

ξ :

cleanliness Factor

ρ :

reflectivity of the plane mirror

ρ 0 :

theoretical reflectivity

ρ 1 :

reflectivity of the mirror before dust accumulation

ρ 2 :

reflectivity of the mirror after dust accumulation

τ :

glass tube transmittance of collector

υ :

density of the dust particles/g·cm−3

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Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51766012), the Scientific Research Project of Colleges and Universities in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (No. NJZY21322), Major science and Technology Project of Inner Mongolia (No. 2019ZD014 and No. 2021ZD0030), the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia (No. 2019MS05025), and the Scientific Research Project of Inner Mongolia University of Technology (No. ZZ202019).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Energy and Power Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, 010051, China

    Xiaoyan Zhao, Suying Yan, Ning Zhao & Hongwei Gao

  2. Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China

    Na Zhang

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Na Zhang

Authors
  1. Xiaoyan Zhao
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  2. Suying Yan
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Correspondence to Suying Yan.

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Zhao, X., Yan, S., Zhang, N. et al. Solar Flux Measuring and Optical Efficiency Forecasting of the Linear Fresnel Reflector Concentrator after Dust Accumulation. J. Therm. Sci. 31, 663–677 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-022-1596-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-022-1596-7

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