Experimental evaluation of the concentrated solar heat flux distribution provided by an 8 m2 Scheffler reflector

Gabriel Guillet, Jonathan Gaspar, Séverine Barbosa, Thomas Fasquelle and Benjamin Kadoch

Renewable Energy, 2024, vol. 223, issue C

Abstract: This study gives experimental results on the intensity and distribution of the concentrated heat flux delivered by an 8m2 Scheffler reflector located in Marseille, France (lon. 5.4° E, lat. 43.3° N). Using thermography and inverse techniques, detailed maps of heat flux densities on a vertical screen were obtained at different times and on different days. The heat flux distributions provided were successfully fitted to a two-dimensional Gaussian model. The model parameters were used to objectively calculate, among other things, the mean major and minor diameters of the ellipse containing 99.7% of the heat flux, i.e. 45cm and 37cm respectively. Maximum heat flux densities ranged between 81kWm−2 and 112kWm−2 and the total heat fluxes delivered by the reflector were between 2.4kW and 3.2kW, which led to energy efficiencies between 61% and 67%. The issue of repeatability of measurements and seasonal/daily variations is also discussed. The results of this study could serve as a basis for the development of realistic numerical models and be useful to engineers responsible for optimising systems incorporating a Scheffler reflector.

Keywords: Solar energy concentration; Scheffler reflector; Heat flux distribution; Thermography; Inverse techniques (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:223:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124000235

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.119958

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