Improvement of Energy Comprehensive Utilization in a Solar Trough Concentrating PV/T System

Abstract

To increase power output and outlet fluid temperature from a solar trough concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) system, a system with a solar parabolic trough concentrating PV/T unit as the first stage and a solar trough concentrating collector as the second heating stage was suggested and tested. In the second stage, a metal cavity receiver was employed to collect solar radiation concentrated by the parabolic trough to heat the fluid from the CPV/T unit of the system. The output characteristics of the CPV/T unit with 1.8 m2 mirrors, and systems with a CPV/T unit of 1.8 m2 aperture area and a concentrating collector with respective aperture area of 15 and 30 m2 were tested, respectively. Also, the performance of the system with a CPV/T unit of 1.8 m2 aperture area and a concentrating collector of 30 m2 aperture in the cases of the working fluid being one-pass and continuous circulation through solar cells and cavity receivers were analyzed. The results showed the overall output performance in the one-one flow mode was higher than that in the continuous circulation mode, but the outlet fluid temperature in the latter case was higher, and fluid temperature of 62.8°C in the storage tank of the system was measured after 30 min of operation.