MATHEMATICAL MODELING AND ANALYSIS OF COMPOUND PARABOLIC CONCENTRATOR USING SOLTRACE

Efficient conversion of Solar energy in to usable form is need of era. The solar energy conversion in electrical or thermal form for its decentralized application should be appreciated in Asian countries. Increase in gain of solar thermal system will be credibility of efficient solar thermal absorber. Concentrator plays main role in efficient thermal absorber. The present research has presented Mathematical modeling and simulation of solar incident radiation on CPC with ray tracing software. In this research work attempt has been made to design thermally efficient optics. The medium concentration solar thermal absorber up to 5X have been designed and simulated. The SolTrace ray tracing software shows pattern of flux distribution on the receiver. The results are surprising. It shows uneven pattern of distribution of solar incident radiation on receiver. Mathematical relations between maximum and minimum flux with average flux has been built. SolTrace results have been utilized to find position of this maximum and minimum flux distribution on the receiver. Effect of change in flux distribution with change in aperture width has been also evaluated by building different models in SolTrace software. These results will help to develop heat receiver based on maximum heat extraction from maximum heat receiving area on receiver. This will achieve maximum possible heat gain. Development of sustainable model for medium temperature (up to 2000 C) temperature application can be possible with this technology.