VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELAGAVI-590018

Project report on
“Design and Performance Evaluation on Solar Parabolic Trough Collector Systems”

Submitted in Partial fulfillment for the award of degree of

Bachelor of Engineering
In
Department of Mechanical Engineering

Submitted By
ABDUL SALMAN 1BT15ME001
AKSHAY 1BT15ME004
KIRAN KUMAR.E 1BT15ME018

Under the Guidance of

Project Supervisor
Prof.Ananda.G.K
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
BTL Institute of Technology & Mgmt.
Bengaluru-560099

BTL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT-560099

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
2018-19

I
 VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELAGAVI-590018
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that project report on “Design and Performance Evaluation on Solar Parabolic
Trough Collector Systems”, a bonafide report submitted by Abdul
Salman(1BT15ME001),Akshay(1BT15ME004),Kiran Kumar(1BT15ME018), towards the partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the award of Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical
Engineering of Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi-590018.

Signature of Head of the Department Signature of Head of the Institute

Prof.Christy Priya Dr.Padmanabha.S.
Assistant Professor Principal and Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering BTL Institute of Technology & Mgmt.
BTL Institute of Technology & Mgmt. Bengaluru-560099
Bengaluru-560099

Signature of Guide
Prof.Ananda.G.K
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
BTL Institute of Technology & Mgmt.
Bengaluru-560099

Examiners

1)
 2.)

VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL
II UNIVERSITY, BELAGAVI-590018
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

DECLARATION

We are certify that best of knowledge and submitted project report on “Design and
Performance Evaluation on Solar Parabolic Trough Collector Systems”, submitted on
course requirements for the award of Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering of
Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi Further, the contents and the definition of
the research problem embodied in this report has not been submitted to any other university for
awarding any other degree or diploma.

Date: 06/06/2019
Place: Bengaluru

ABDUL SALMAN 1BT15ME001

AKSHAY 1BT15ME002
KIRANKUMAR.E 1BT15ME018
 VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELAGAVI-590018
III
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The personal satisfaction and the value of any project work remains incomplete without
vote of thanks to all the people involved in this project, directly or indirectly. Here by we
would like to express our gratitude to the people who have been a source of constant support,
encouragement and guidance throughout our project.

First of all we wish to thank Dr.Padmanabha.S, Principal & Professor, B.T.L Institute
of Technology for having inspired and encouraging us throughout the complete the research
thesis.

We are grateful to Dr.B.H.L.Gowda, Retried Professor, IIT (Madras), Head of the

Department of Mechanical Engineering, B.T.L Institute of Technology, for sharing his
knowledge and experience with us and his valuable advice and supervision at every stage of
the project.

We are grateful to our project Supervisor Prof.Ananda.G.K, Assistant Professor,

Department of Mechanical Engineering,BTL Institute of Technology and Management, for his
continuous support and technical guidance with which we were able to carry out this project
with a great deal of confidence.

We are extremely thankful to Central Power Research Institute & Indian Institute
of Science (Bengaluru). For his timely help to complete thesis work.

Finally, we would like to express our sincere thanks to our beloved parents, and all staff
members of Department of Mechanical Engineering, for their valuable guidance and support.

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 VISVESVARAYA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY, BELAGAVI-590018
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ABSTRACT

We are blessed with solar energy in abundance at no cost. The solar radiation incident on the
surface of the earth can be conveniently utilized for the benefits of human society. One of the
popular devices that harness the solar energy is solar hot water systems (SWHs). The current
existences of evacuated tube and flat plate type of collectors available in the Indian market.
Through this study, very few Indian research attempts have been done so far to estimate the
significance of parabolic trough collectors systems at different process of scope. To design new
parabolic tough systems several aspects can be considered as selection of materials, optimum
inclination angle, and heat transfer fluids. The present work mainly focusing on reproducible
parabolic trough solar water heater as a suitable renewable technology for reducing water
heating cost and solar water heating systems with optical concentrating technologies as
important entrants for providing needed bulk storage of solar energy.

Keywords: Parabolic trough collector, aperture width, rim angle, focal length;

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 LIST OF CONTENTS

Topics Page No.

Front certificate I

Bonafide certificate II

Declaration III

Acknowledgement IV

Abstract V

List of contents VI-VII

List of figures VIII-IX

List of tables X

List of acronyms XII-XVI

Chapter -1 Introduction Page No.

1.1 Energy issues in India 1-1

1.1.1 Coal production remains key to energy unit 1-1

1.1.2 Fourth largest consumer of oil and petroleum in the world 1-1

1.1.3 Relies o imports to meet growing demand for gas 2-2

1.1.4 Electricity shortages hurt industrial output 2-2

1.1.5 Energy poverty and inequality spreads 2-3

1.2 Solar energy potential in Karnataka state 4-4

1.2.1 Karnataka innovation policies 4-5

1.3 Solar energy systems in India 5-5

1.3.1 Solar water heating systems 6-8

1.4 Research methodology 8-8

Chapter-2 Literature Review

2.1 Literature summary on parabolic trough collector 9-15

2.2 Gaps Identified 16-16

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2.3 Limitation/Drawbacks of this study 16-16

2.4 Objectives of the project work 17-17

Chapter-3 Methodology

3.1 ASHARE standards for testing parameters 18-18

3.2 Designing parameters for PTC 18-21

3.3 Experimentation method 22-22

3.3.1 Free circulation system of PTC 22-22

3.3.2 Typical operation 23-23

3.4 Analysis of testing data 23-26

Chapter -4 Results and Discussion

4.1 Effects of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature 27-34

Chapter-5 Conclusion 35

Chapter-6 Scope of Future work 36

Chapter-7 References 37-38

Appendix-1 39

VII
 List of figures

Fig 1.1 Renewable energy potential on going demands in state as per 2017-18 3

Fig 1.2 Indian research: eight states have installed over GW of solar energy 3

Fig 1.3 Energy demands in Indian as per statics of 2013-14 4

Fig 1.4 Utilization of solar energy systems on current demands in India 5

Fig 1.5 Indian solar thermal applications are currently available in market 6

Fig 1.6 Section view of flat plate collector 6

Fig 1.7 Section view of evacuated tube collector 7

Fig 3.1 Typical design parameters for parabolic trough collectors 18

Fig 3.2 Collector aperture area and receiver aperture area 19

Fig 3.3 Geometrical parabolic trough parameters 20

Fig 3.4 Section view of CAD model of parabolic trough 20

Fig 3.5 Experimental setup of parabolic trough collector by free circulation system 22

Fig 4.1 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 15/Jan/2019 28

Fig 4.2 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 07Feb/2019 28

Fig 4.3 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 27March/2019 29

Fig 4.4 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 14/April/2019 29

Fig 4.5 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 25/May/2019 30

Fig 4.6 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 10/June/2019 30

Fig 4.7 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 28/July/2018 31

Fig 4.8 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 30/Aug/2018 31

Fig 4.9 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 05/Sep/2018 32

VIII
Fig 4.10 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 10/Oct/2018 32

Fig 4.11 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 05/Nov/2018 33

Fig 4.12 Variation of solar radiation with outlet fluid temperature on 18/Dec/2018 33

Fig 4.13 Distribution of solar radiation with variation of outlet fluid temperature 34
During July-Dec 2018/Jan-June2019

IX
 List of tables

Table. 2.1 types of collector with its conversion factor and thermal loss factor around as 9
specific difference

Table 2.2 Properties of common insulation materials(kehrar & kunzel,2003) 10

Table 2.3 Thermo-physical properties of different materials of absorber tubes 11

Table 2.4 Basic specifications of twin-glass evacuated made by focus technology 11

Co.Ltd

Table 3.1 Design and predicted parameters of the parabolic trough collector 21

Table 3.2 Optical properties of PTC components 21

Table 3.3 Thermo-physical properties of fluid in PTC 21

Table 3.4 Theoretical calculated for designing parameters of PTC 22

Table 3.5 Format of tabulation readings for free convection method 23

X
 List of acronyms

Nomenclature

Symbols Physical parameters SI units

a Aperture width mm

Aa Aperture area m2

Ar Surface area of receiver m2

CR Concentration ratio …….

Cp Specific heat capacity kJ/kgok

d diameter of tube mm

f Focal length mm

L Collector length mts

I Solar insolation w/m2

T Temperature of fluid k
o

h Height of the parabola mm

g Gravity m/s2

ṁ Mass flow rate Kg/hr

R Radius of sun center Mts

Io Hourly radiation J/m2

AM Air mass Kg

t Time intervals Sec

Q Rate of heat transfer KW

XI
q Heat flux w/m2

K Thermal conductivity w/mok

D Average diameter b/w sun and earth mts

U Overall heat transfer coefficient w/m2ok

h Convective heat transfer w/m2ok

LC Characteristic length b/w collector mts

Re Reynolds number …….

Gr Grashof number …….

Pr Prandtl number ……

Ra Raleigh number ……

Nu Nusslet number …….

Vnf Velocity of Nano-particles m/s

ṁ Mass flow rate Kg/hr

R Radius of sun center mts

Ho Daily radiation J/day.m2

Io Hourly radiation J/m2

ΔT Temperature difference o
c

E Apparent energy W

FR Heat removal factor …….

F’ Collector efficiency factor ……..

F’’ Collector flow factor …….

XII
 f frequency Hertz

G Incident ray on the aperture w/m2

n Average number of reflections …….

N Daily light hours …….

Maximum duration of active sunshine’s ……..

P Normal atmospheric pressure KPa

Monthly average global radiation J/m2.day

I,i Hourly(instantaneous)radition,incident rays ……

S Absorbed radiation w/m2

V Volume (m3),Electric voltage(v)

SWHS Solar water heating systems

FPC Flat plate collectors

EPC Evacuated tube collectors

PTC Parabolic trough collector

CSP Concentrated solar power

RGO Reduced graphene oxide

PTCs Parabolic trough collector systems

NHTFs Nano-heat transfer fluids

FS Flashed simulator

CS Continuous simulator

SWHS Solar water heating systems

Greek symbols
XIII
μ Dynamic viscosity Ns/m2

ѱ Rim angle Degree

α Thermal diffusivity (m2/s), absorptivity

ρ Density(Kg/m3),reflectivity

β Tilting angle(degree),coefficient of friction

η Efficiency %

σ Stefan Boltzmann’s constants w/m2ok4

ϕ Latitude Degree

ᵞ Solar azimuth angle Degree

ᵟ Declination Degree

ɵ Incident beam radiation Degree

π Pi ……

ᵋ Emissivity …..

Δ Partial derivatives ……

λ Wavelength nmts

Subscripts

a Aperture,apparent,ambient,area

ann annulus

B Beam

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 C collector

c Condenser

conv convection

D diffuse

e Evapartor,envelope,effieiency

eff Effectivective

Exp Experimental

fi Fluid inlet

fo Fluid outlet

G Ground

h Hemisphere radiation

i Inlet, incident, instantaneous

inc Inclined

ins Instability

liq Liquid

m Mass

max Maximum

min Minimum

N,n Normal direction, normal surface

Nu Nussle number

nu Non-uniformity

o Optical,outlet,outer

XV
R Reflector

ref reflection

sat Saturation

S Slope, surface

T Tilt

t thickness

tot Total

u Useful

v Vapor

w Water, width

x,y Cartesian coordinates

Z Sloped surface-axis

XVI