Theoretical Analysis of Parabolic Trough Solar Water Heater: A Review

Abstract

Solar radiation is source for all energies on earth. Energy from sun in the form of radiation is primary source for our planet. The average solar energy received at the earth surface in tropical region is nearly 1 kw/m². It is renewable source of energy and has no effect as pollutant unlike oils, coal, gases etc. on the environment. It is not depleting with respect to time so will sustain always in nature. This paper is concerned with design and experimental study of parabolic trough solar water heater by using different reflecting materials. In this work, a new setup of parabolic trough solar water heater with manual radiation tracking system has been designed for water heating process. It is designed by fabrication of aluminum foil and then fixing mirror strips along the focal length of the trough.Experiment was performed in four conditions of trough and analyzed that maximum heat transfer to the working fluid i.e. water in the absorber tube is found in case of mirror glass strips as reflecting materials. Experiment is done in the month of May 2017(summer season) at ShriRam College of Engineering and Management,Banmore, Madhya Pradesh