Numerical investigation of an enhanced PTC absorber tube using
cylindrical inserts.
Abstract
The main purpose of this study is to investigate numerically the thermal
performance of a parabolic trough solar collector’s absorber tube that
contains a novel kind of inserts with the objective to improve the heat
transfer between the heat transfer fluid and the absorber tube. In the
first part of this paper, the diameter and the length of the cylindrical
inserts are investigated based on Finite Volume Method and Monte Carlo
Ray Tracing method for Reynolds number ranges from 2 . 36 ∙ 10 4 to 7 .
09 ∙ 10 4 . In the second part, the eccentricity of the cylindrical
inserts is investigated under the same operating conditions. The
Therminol ®VP1 is the HTF that used in this
investigation intermediate fluid. The numerical simulation indicates
that the perturbators enhance the thermal behavior of receiver and
reduces the absorber tube’s temperature difference.