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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

Exergetic Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Collector System

Operating with Different Heat Transfer Fluids

G E Carrillo1,3, Y Cárdenas2
1
Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Research Group EOLITO, Cartagena –
Colombia
2
Universidad de la Costa, Research Group GIOPEN, Barranquilla – Colombia
3
Universidade Federal de Itajubá, Research Group NEST, Itajubá-Brasil

[email protected]

Abstract. Solar concentrating systems are one of the most promising technologies to supply
process heat or generate electricity. Responding to the global problem of increasing pollutants
in the atmosphere and contributing to the diversification of the world's energy matrix. In this
sense, the Parabolic Trough Collector system represents the technology with the greatest
technological maturity and hours of commercial operation. Thus, this paper presents an exergetic
analysis of this type of system, based on the configuration of a system installed in the city of
Itajuba-MG, Brazil. As a way to identify the improvement potentials of this type of system and
thus obtain performance improvements. In the initial stage, the exergetic balance on the system's
receiver is developed. The effect of the loss of exergy and the destruction of exergy on the exergy
of the fluid inside the receiver tube is determined. In the next stage, the required parameters were
defined to calculate the terms defined in the first stage. Among these parameters is the effect of
exergy of solar irradiation, heat losses, the optical efficiency of the collector, and heat absorbed
by the heat transfer fluid. The results obtained show that the optical losses of the collectors of
this type of plant represent one of the main causes of exergy losses. Additionally, it was possible
to determine that for low-temperature applications, water allows the best exergetic use.

1. Introduction
The high impact caused by the increase in the level of pollutants worldwide, as a consequence of the
operation of systems and processes based on conventional fuels [1], has promoted the development of
projects and research on technologies based on renewable energy, such as solar energy [2]. Where it is
possible to highlight technologies such as Dish Stirling, Linear Fresnel, Central Tower, and Parabolic
Trough Collector systems [3], these are characterized by generating a positive impact on the
environment, people's health, and the diversification of the countries' energy matrix in the life cycle
analysis [4].
There are various projects implemented and in the development phase worldwide, but without a
doubt, this whole panorama shows that the solar thermal plants with the greatest maturity and
commercial development are those of Parabolic Trough Collectors (PTC) [5]. Many are the hours of
operation that this type of system, however, it is necessary to find strategies to improve performance

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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

and resource utilization that can have this type of system, for the various operating conditions that may
occur throughout the world [6].
Within these strategies, we find the exergetic analysis and its diverse tools as a way to identify the
potentials of improvements that can be had in a system or process [7]. Some of the research that has
been carried out for this type of technology is presented below: Akbarzadeh et al. [8] presented an energy
and exergetic analysis of a PTC system, with the purpose of determining the performance of this type
of system using pipes with special arrangements inside. This investigation showed that the use of helical
piping allows improvements in the performance of these systems. Babaelahi et al. [9] by simulating an
electricity generation plant, in the conventional PTC and Rankine Cycle configuration, establish a
system control methodology based on energy and exergetic analysis. At the end of the system analysis,
improvements of 36.06 % were obtained in the overall efficiency of the system. Ghazouani et al. [10]
perform thermo-economic, exergetic, and impact optimization analysis of operational and design
parameters, a small PTC system. This analysis allowed us to determine that a reduction in the , an
increase in the receiver tube, and the diameter of the collector are considerable improvements for this
system. Zare y Moalemian [11] propose the energy, exergetic and economic analysis of an integrated
PTC system with a Kalina cycle. The main results are a power cycle efficiency of 64% and an overall
system efficiency of 14%.
Based on the review of the literature and the search for better use of the resources by these emerging
technologies, the main scientific contribution of this work consists of the implementation of an exergetic
analysis of a system of Parabolic Trough Collectors, based on the configuration of the system installed
in the NEST/UNIFEI Heliothermal Energy Laboratory, in the city of Itajubá/Brazil. For this analysis,
the operation of this system with different heat transfer fluids is considered, an aspect that is not taken
into account by the publications found in the literature review.

2. Exergetic Analysis of a Parabolic Trough Collector System

To present a structured methodology for calculating this type of system, figure 1 shows the
calculation algorithm designed and implemented in this work, using the Matlab. Programming tool.

Figure 1. Calculation algorithm of a Parabolic Trough Collector System.

Based on the calculation algorithm defined in figure 1, and the configuration of the PTC system
installed in the NEST/UNIFEI Heliothermal Energy Laboratory, shown in figure 2, the different
conditions and mathematical relations were raised, to elaborate the analysis proposed in this study.

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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

Figure 2. PTC system, [Taken from NEST/UNIFEI Heliothermal Energy Laboratory].

The Parabolic Trough Collector system is shown in figure 2, the system installed at UNIFEI, supplied
by the Canadian company RACKAM, and its main characteristics are described in table 1. Among the
main components of this type of system, we find The reflective mirrors or collectors, the system's
receiver (glass cover and receiver tube), the solar tracking system, the control panel, and sensors.
The operation of this system begins when the solar radiation reaches the surface of the collectors,
and this is concentrated and directed on the system's receiver, located at the focal point of the system
(linear type focus). The concentrated radiation generates the progressive heating of the heat transfer
fluid located inside the absorber tube. Fluid, which is transported to a power block or an energy demand
system, such as an industrial process, a commercial, residential or hospital sector application, among
other applications. In these technologies, the tracking system is responsible for moving the collectors
constantly following the sun to ensure that the sun's rays reach the surface of the collectors almost
perpendicularly at all times, reducing losses due to radiation overflow.
Table 1. Main parameters of the PTC system, RACKAM project [12].
Parameter RACKAM System
Length [m] 24.4
Width [m] 1.2 m
Height [m] 1.5
Collector Surface installed [m2 ] 112
Orientation East-West
No. of rows 4
Thermal efficiency [%] 65
Receiver Type of fluid Water
Maximum pressure [bar] 10
Maximum temperature [°C] 160
Absorber tube material Stainless steel, ASTM A312-TP
Absorber diameter [m] 0.0254

Based on the configuration of the system installed at UNIFEI and some of the parameters of this
project, the considerations and mathematical relationships required to develop the exergetic analysis of
this type of technology were defined.

2.1. Exergetic Analysis of the System

Once the PTC technology is in operation, the concentrated solar radiation reaches the surface of the
system's receiver (absorber glass tube cover). Since the most important heat transfer process occurs in
this component, it is necessary to study the parameters and conditions that can affect energy interaction,
losses, and destruction. A simplified diagram of the receiver of a PTC system is shown in Figure 3.

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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

Figure 3. The receiver of a PTC system and its main components [13].
By applying an exergetic balance to the system's receiver (Figure 3), it is possible to obtain equation
(1). Which we can call it as the basis of calculation of the methodology proposed in this study [14]:
𝐸𝑠𝑜𝑙 = 𝐸ℎ𝑡𝑓 + 𝐸𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 + 𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡 (1)
Where the first term of equation (1), represents the exergy of the heat transfer fluid inside the absorber
tube, calculated with equation (2) [14]:
𝑇𝐶𝑜𝑙_𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝐸ℎ𝑡𝑓 = 𝑞𝑎𝑐 − 𝑚̇ℎ𝑡𝑓 𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑏 𝐿𝑛 [ ] (2)
𝑇ℎ𝑡𝑓_𝑖𝑛
In the case of loss of exergy, the second term of equation (1), this can be determined with equation
(3) [14]:
𝐸𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 𝐸𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙_𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 + 𝐸𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙_𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 (3)
As shown, equation (3) takes into consideration the effect of heat and optical losses, which can be
determined with equations (4) and (5), respectively [14]:
𝑇𝑜
𝐸𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙_𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 𝑞ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡_𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 (1 − ) (4)
𝑇ℎ𝑡𝑓

𝐸𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙_𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 = (1 − 𝜂𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 )𝐸𝑠𝑜𝑙 (5)

In the case of the loss of exergy due to the optical effect of the collector material, the optical
efficiency of the collector and the exergy contribution of the solar radiation, calculated with equation
(6) and (7), respectively, are taken into account [14]:
𝜂ó𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎 = 𝛾𝑓𝑖 𝜌𝑒𝑟 𝐾𝜃 𝜏𝑔𝑐 𝛼𝑎 (6)
𝐸𝑠𝑜𝑙 = (𝐼𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑚 (𝑎 − 𝐷𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑣𝑒𝑟 ))𝜓 (7)
Where 𝛾𝑓𝑖 is the interception factor, 𝜌𝑒𝑟 the reflectivity of the collector, 𝐾𝜃 is the modified angle of
incidence, 𝜏𝑔𝑐 is the transmittance, 𝛼𝑎 is the absorbency of the absorber, 𝑎 is the opening width of the
Collector, I is the solar radiation, D is the diameter and 𝜓 useful working potential of solar radiation.
Now, to determine the exergy destruction term, the third thermal of equation (1), equation (8) is used
[14]:
𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡 = 𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡_𝑠𝑜𝑙 + 𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡_𝑎𝑏_𝑓 (8)
Where the first term of equation (8), represents the destruction of exergy between the sun and the
absorber tube and the second thermal term represents the destruction of exergy between the absorber
tube and the heat transfer fluid, terms that can be determined with equations (9) and (10) [14]:
𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑏
𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡_𝑠𝑜𝑙 = 𝜂𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑠𝑜𝑙 − 𝑞𝑎𝑐 (1 − ) (9)
𝑇ℎ𝑡𝑓

𝑇𝑎𝑚𝑏
𝐸𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡_𝑎𝑏_𝑓 = 𝑞𝑎𝑐 (1 − ) − 𝐸ℎ𝑡𝑓 (10)
𝑇ℎ𝑡𝑓

4
EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

Once the terms of the exergetic balance, proposed in equation (1), have been calculated, it is possible
to determine the exergetic efficiency of the system, with equation (11) [14]:
𝐸ℎ𝑡𝑓
𝜂𝑒𝑥𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 = ( ) (11)
𝐸𝑠𝑢𝑛

3. Main results of the system's behavior

The behavior of the decrease in exergy for three heat transfer fluids, such as water, Downtherm A,
Downtherm Q and Syltherm 800, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. The behavior of the decrease of exergy by losses.

As it is possible to observe from figure 4, of the fluids evaluated in the solar field of Parabolic Trough
Collectors, the configuration with water, presents the biggest decreases, followed by the configuration
with Downtherm A, the Downtherm Q and the Syltherm 800. It is important to mention that the biggest
contributions to this effect of the decrease of exergy, are caused mainly by the optical effects (99%) of
the solar field and in smaller proportion by the thermal losses (1%). This behavior is due to the optical
losses that depend on the optical efficiency of the collectors and the exergy of the solar radiation.
Another aspect evaluated for this type of system consists of analyzing the exergy destruction of the
set of collectors, depending on the output temperature of the solar field, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5. The behavior of exergy destruction.

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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

From figure 5, it is possible to determine that the configuration with water as heat transfer fluid,
presents the maximum values of exergy destroyed. Followed by the configuration with Downtherm A,
Downtherm Q, and Syltherm 800. There is no considerable difference in the exergy destroyed between
the configurations of the system operating with oils
Finally, this analysis presents the exergy behavior of the collectors as a function of the operating
temperature (Figure 6).

Figure 6. The behavior of the exergetic efficiency of the collector.

For the fluids chosen in this analysis, the highest efficiency values were obtained for the system
working with water. For a temperature range of 70.2 ° C to 121.4 ° C, the efficiency values were between
9.7% - 17.9%, higher than those obtained with the other heat transfer fluids used. This analysis also
shows that for the defined configuration, higher temperature values are obtained at the output of the
solar field with the Syltherms 800, Downtherm A, and Downtherm Q. For these fluids, there is no
significant difference between the exergetic efficiency values of the solar field. In the temperature range
of 60° C to 147.5° C, the efficiency values determined are in the range of 8.2% - 20.2%.

Conclusion
From the results obtained in this work, it was possible to determine that in the case of the technology of
PTC, it becomes important to concentrate the efforts in looking for ways to reduce the effects of optical
losses, as well as to obtain better use of the solar irradiation on the receiver of the system. For this
purpose, the use of new materials of the collectors and receiver, or even the possibility of using auxiliary
components for a better distribution of the solar radiation concentrated on the system's receiver, can be
considered.
It can also be concluded that, even though the configuration of the system working with water
presents the highest values of loss and destruction of exergy, this configuration allows us to obtain the
highest exergetic efficiency. The low difference in efficiency with the other configurations guarantees
the possibility of using water for small system applications, contributing to reducing costs associated
with the purchase of other types of fluids and final costs of the projects, which would have to be assumed
in these other configurations.

Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the Federal University of Itajuba UNIFEI, CAPES, CNPq, FAPEMIG,
ANEEL, for the support in the development of this project and the support of the students. And to the
company RACKAM for being the representatives of the PTC system installed at UNIFEI.

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EXPOTECNOLOGIA 2020 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 1154 (2021) 012023 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/1154/1/012023

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