Performance Evaluation of Parabolic Trough Collector with Internal Longitudinal Hybrid-Fins Receiver Tube

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the performance of LS-2 parabolic trough collector (PTC) when operated with a gaseous working fluid, namely carbon dioxide, methane, and air, along with the combination of two different fin profiles (hybrid-fins) such as case-1 (T-shaped and rectangular), case-2 (V-shaped and rectangular), and case-3 (T-shaped and V-shaped), respectively, attached inside the absorber tube. The current study aims to analyze the enhancement of this newly proposed receiver tube based on the performance enhancement factor index, thermal and exergy efficiency and compare it with a smooth tube. The design and simulation are performed using commercial software Ansys Fluent 2020 R2, and results obtained from the present numerical study are validated with available literature and found to be in good agreement. Case-3 finned-tube shows a maximum heat transfer coefficient value of 256.125 W/m2 ∙K, 207.546 W/m2 ∙K, and 464.384 W/m2 ∙K for air, carbon dioxide and methane gas, respectively. The maximum performance index factor values of 76.8 %, 82.1 %, and 66.4 % were obtained for air, carbon dioxide, and methane gas, respectively, from all other examined cases. For each gas, using fins increases thermal and exergy efficiency concerning the no-fin case.