Parabolic trough solar collector is the most proven industry-scale solar generation technology today available. The thermal performance of such devices is of major interest for optimising the solar field output and increase the efficiency of power plants. In this paper, a detailed numerical heat transfer model based on the finite volume method for these equipment is presented. In the model, the different elements of the receiver are discretised into several segments in both axial and azimuthal directions and energy balances are applied for each control volume. An optical model is also developed for calculating the non-uniform solar flux distribution around the receiver. This model is based on finite volume method and ray trace techniques and takes into account the finite size of the Sun. The solar heat flux is determined as a pre-processing task and coupled to the energy balance model as a boundary condition for the outer surface of the receiver. The set of algebraic equations are solved simultaneously using direct solvers. The model is thoroughly validated with results from the literature. First, the optical model is compared with known analytical solutions. After that, the performance of the overall model is tested against experimental measurements from Sandia National Laboratories and other un-irradiated receivers experiments. In all cases, results obtained shown a good agreement with experimental and analytical results.Peer ReviewedPreprin

In the present work, turbulent natural convection in a tall differentially heated cavity of aspect ratio 5:1, filled with air (Pr = 0.7) under a Rayleigh number based on the height of 4.5 10¹⁰, is studied numerically. Two different situations have been analysed. In the first one, the cavity is filled with a transparent medium. In the second one, the cavity contains a grey participating gas. The turbulent flow is described by means of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) using symmetry-preserving discretizations. Simulations are compared with experimental data available in the literature and with Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS). Surface and gas radiation have been simulated using the Discrete Ordinates Method (DOM). The influence of radiation on fluid flow behaviour has also been analysed.

The aim of this study was to elaborate and validate a reduced order model able to forecast solar heat gains as a function of the architectural parameters that determine the solar heat gains. The study focused on office buildings in Catalonia and Spain and their physical values were taken from the Spanish Building Technical Code and European Union Directive 2018/844. A reduced order model with three direct variables (solar heat gain coefficient, shade factor, window to wall ratio) and one indirect design variable (building orientation) was obtained and validated in respect to the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol. Building envelope properties were fixed and the values were taken from the national standards of Spain. This work validates solar heat gain coefficient as a primary variable in determining the annual solar heat gains in a building. Further work of developed model could result in building energy need quick evaluation tool in terms of solar heat gains for architects in building early stage as it has an advantage over detailed building simulation programs in terms of instant calculation and the limited need for predefined input data.