Parabolic Trough Solar Panels

Solar parabolic trough 1 0 system description parabolic trough technology is currently the most proven solar thermal electric technology.

Parabolic trough solar panels.

Parabolic trough plants are designed to use primarily solar energy to operate. In a solar cooker for example food is placed at the focal line of a trough which is cooked when the trough is aimed so the sun is in its plane of symmetry. Solar collector in the shape of a parabolic mirror reflects the incident solar energy on the longitudinal axis of the solar collector. The parabolic trough reflector is a solar thermal energy collector designed to capture the sun s direct solar radiation over a large surface area and focus or more generally concentrate it onto a small focal point area increasing the solar energy received by more than a factor of two which means more overall heat per square meter of trough.

These troughs can track the sun around one axis typically oriented north south to ensure the highest possible efficiency. Parabolic trough solar systems concentrated solar power csp systems use very different technology than photovoltaic systems. Parabolic troughs which are a type of linear concentrator are the most mature csp technology with over 500 megawatts mw operating worldwide. Most electric power plants use some form of fossil fuel as the thermal heat source to boil water into steam.

A solar parabolic trough collector has been developed incorporating advanced technology achieving lower installation manufacturing and operation costs as well as higher performance of the collector. During summer months the plants operate at full rated electric output for 10 12 h day. Doe funds solar research and development r d in parabolic trough systems as one of four concentrating solar power csp technologies aiming to meet the goals of the sunshot initiative. Heavy duty light weight and durable.

Parabolic trough is a set of concave mirrors that concentrate solar rays on the receiver tube that is located in the focus. This is primarily due to nine large commercial scale solar power plants the first of which has been operating in the california mojave desert since 1984. This line is called the focal axis of the parabolic collector. The sunlight which enters the mirror parallel to its plane of symmetry is focused along the focal line where objects are positioned that are intended to be heated.

Parabolic trough collector for solar power. Parabolic solar trough creates solar energy solar hot water steam cooker pressure a steam engine this solar trough tracks the sun using a mathematical algorithm and will not chase shadows from clouds. If it is sufficient this solar energy alone can operate the plants at the full rated power. Csp systems use the sun as the thermal heat source as opposed to the photon energy of the sun as pv systems do.