Two-stage solar concentrators based on parabolic troughs: asymmetric versus symmetric designs

Applied Optics
Max SchmitzAldo Steinfeld

Abstract

While nonimaging concentrators can approach the thermodynamic limit of concentration, they generally suffer from poor compactness when designed for small acceptance angles, e.g., to capture direct solar irradiation. Symmetric two-stage systems utilizing an image-forming primary parabolic concentrator in tandem with a nonimaging secondary concentrator partially overcome this compactness problem, but their achievable concentration ratio is ultimately limited by the central obstruction caused by the secondary. Significant improvements can be realized by two-stage systems having asymmetric cross-sections, particularly for 2D line-focus trough designs. We therefore present a detailed analysis of two-stage line-focus asymmetric concentrators for flat receiver geometries and compare them to their symmetric counterparts. Exemplary designs are examined in terms of the key optical performance metrics, namely, geometric concentration ratio, acceptance angle, concentration-acceptance product, aspect ratio, active area fraction, and average number of reflections. Notably, we show that asymmetric designs can achieve significantly higher overall concentrations and are always more compact than symmetric systems designed for the same concentrat...Continue Reading

References

Sep 12, 2009·Applied Optics·Natalia OstroumovDaniel Feuermann
Jan 1, 1976·Applied Optics·D A HarperR Winston
Mar 1, 1982·Applied Optics·E M Kritchman
Jun 1, 1992·Applied Optics·J C Miñano, J C González
Aug 1, 2014·Optics Letters·Thomas CooperAldo Steinfeld

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