Parabolic Trough Collector – Parts, Working | New Topic [2024]

In this note, we are going to learn about the Parabolic Trough Collector, about its parts, working principle, advantages, and applications. Welcome to Poly Notes Hub, a leading destination for polytechnic notes for diploma and degree engineering students.

Author Name: Arun Paul.

What is Parabolic Trough Collector?

A Parabolic Trough Collector is a solar thermal energy device that uses sunlight to generate heat. It is formed up of a long, curved, reflective trough (usually composed of metal or another reflective material) that directs sunlight into a central receiver tube running along its focal line. This receiver tube contains a heat transfer fluid, such as oil or molten salt, that absorbs and heats the concentrated sunlight. The heated fluid is subsequently converted into steam, which powers a turbine to generate electricity, or it can be stored for later use in thermal energy storage devices. Parabolic trough collectors are widely employed in large-scale solar power facilities due to their ability to capture and concentrate sunlight.

Parts of Parabolic Trough Collector

Above we shows the solar parabolic trough collector diagram and below about its parts –

• Reflector: A curved trough-shaped reflector made of a highly reflecting material, such as glass or metal, that concentrates sunlight on a focal line.
• Receiver Tube: A specially made tube that is situated where sunlight is concentrated—along the reflector’s focus line. It has a heat-transfer fluid inside, like melted salt or oil, which warms up as it absorbs concentrated sunlight.
• Heat Transfer Fluid: The fluid running through the receiver tube absorbs heat from the focused sunlight. Thermal oil and molten salt are two often used heat transfer fluids.
• Support Structure: The scaffolding that keeps the reflector and receiver tube in place is usually built of steel or other durable materials.
• Tracking Mechanism: A system that enables the reflector to track the sun’s movement throughout the day, resulting in ideal sunlight concentration on the receiver tube.
• Heat Exchanger: A component that converts heat from a heat transfer fluid to another medium, such as water, in order to generate steam for electricity or other thermal purposes.

Parabolic Trough Collector Working

Below we discuss the working of parabolic trough collector –

The Parabolic Trough Collector’s curved reflective surface concentrates sunlight onto a focal line. Sunlight heats the fluid that flows through a receiver tube along this line, absorbing thermal energy. The heated fluid then transfers its heat to a heat exchanger, which produces steam from water or directly provides thermal energy for industrial use. The collector is equipped with a sun-tracking device, which maximizes solar capture throughout the day. Once cooled, the fluid is recirculated for another cycle. This continuous process efficiently uses solar energy, transforming it into electricity via steam turbines or delivering direct thermal energy for a variety of purposes.

To improve efficiency, the collector is outfitted with a sun-tracking device that keeps it facing the sun throughout the day. This tracking allows the collector to capture as much sunlight as possible, optimizing energy production.

Advantages of Parabolic Trough Collector

Below we listed some advantages of this type of solar collectors –

1. They may be scaled up to generate massive amounts of power.
2. They efficiently focus sunlight on a short focal line, boosting energy capture.
3. They generate electricity without generating greenhouse gases or other pollutants, thereby contributing to cleaner energy production.
4. The heat produced can be used for energy generation, industrial processes, desalination, or space heating, making them useful in a variety of applications.
5. Parabolic trough collectors can be used in a variety of environments, including deserts with plenty of sunlight.

Applications of Parabolic Trough Collector

This solar collector has various types of applications, like –

1. Electricity generation
2. Industrial processes
3. Desalination
4. Space heating/cooling
5. Agricultural applications
6. Remote power generation
7. Water treatment
8. Research and development