Solar Ray Tracing Analysis to Determine Energy Availability in a CPC Designed for Use as a Residential Water Heater

Miguel Terrón-Hernández, Manuel I. Peña-Cruz, Jose G. Carrillo, Ulises Diego-Ayala and Vicente Flores
Additional contact information
Miguel Terrón-Hernández: Renewable Energy Department, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mérida 97200, Mexico
Manuel I. Peña-Cruz: Conacyt—Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica, Unidad de Aguascalientes, Prol. Constitución 607, Reserva Loma Bonita, Aguascalientes 20200, Mexico
Jose G. Carrillo: Renewable Energy Department, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Mérida 97200, Mexico
Ulises Diego-Ayala: Arian International Projects, c/Baldiri Reixach, 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Vicente Flores: Metal-Mechanical Department, Instituto Tecnológico Nacional de México, Campus Apizaco, Av. Instituto Tecnológico S/N, Apizaco 90300, Mexico

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: Compound parabolic concentrators are relevant systems used in solar thermal technology. With adequate tailoring, they can be used as an efficient and low-cost alternative in residential water heating applications. This work presents a simulation study using a ray tracing analysis. With this technique, we simulate the interaction between solar rays and solar concentrator to quantify the amount of energy that impinges on the receiver at a particular time. Energy availability is evaluated in a comparison of two configurations throughout the year: static setup at 21° and multi-position setup; tilted with respect to the horizontal, depending on three seasonal positions: 0° for summer, 16° for spring/autumn, and 32° for winter, with the aim to evaluate the amount of available energy in each season. The fact that a tracking system can be dispensed with also represents an economical option for the proposed application. The results showed that at 21°, the proposed solar Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) works satisfactorily; however, by carrying out the selected angular adjustments, the overall energy availability increased by 22%, resulting in a more efficient option. The most effective design was also built and analyzed outdoors. The obtained thermal efficiency was of ~43%. The optical design and its evaluation developed herein proved to be a valuable tool for prototype design and performance evaluation.

Keywords: ray tracing analysis; compound parabolic concentrator; solar water heating; photonics; optics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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