Optics of a two-trough solar concentrator
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
A linear focusing solar concentrator is described that uses two reflecting troughs, one is a large, stationary hemi-cylinder and the other is small and tracks the sun. The small reflector weighs less than a parabolic trough with the same concentrator aperture. Therefore diurnal steering is more feasible. Energy is carried to the job by solar heated fluid in a pipe at focus in the secondary reflector assembly. Theory is presented and comparisons are given for east-west and north-south oriented parabolic and two-trough collectors. In the ideal world, the parabolic outperforms the two-trough collector. However, in the real world, the simplifications due to the immobile, hemi-cylinder, large reflector may outweigh its disadvantages. 2 refs., 15 figs., 1 tab.
- OSTI ID:
- 414982
- Journal Information:
- Solar Energy, Vol. 56, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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