Hot fluid production with condensing solar collector for industrial thermal processes: Development of a 20-kW linear fresnel collector prototype

In this study, it is aimed to develop a linear fresnel collector (LFC) system catering to the hot fluid requirements of industrial applications. Initially, the optical design of the LFC was executed using the open-source Tonatiuh program. Subsequently, the system was dimensioned to achieve a thermal capacity of 20 kW. The collector prototype consists of 20 mirror series, each measuring 12 m in length and 20 cm in width, resulting in a total mirror area of 48 m2. The prototype is constructed using a uniquely designed mono-block structure of Aluminium sigma profiles. Experimental investigations of the LFC system were conducted in the outdoor working area of the GAPYENEV centre, under the meteorological conditions of Sanliurfa, T & uuml;rkiye. The experimental observations revealed that the temperature of the oil in the linear Fresnel-type solar collector prototype increased by approximately 4 degrees C to 26 degrees C throughout the year, with maximum temperatures recorded in the absorber ranging between 50 degrees C and 150 degrees C. The maximum thermal energy gain of the prototype was measured at 11 kWh in total, with an efficiency of 226 Wh/m2 per unit mirror surface area. Consequently, this study demonstrates that the developed linear fresnel solar collector is suitable for various industrial processes, offering a cost-effective means of obtaining the required thermal energy from solar sources.