SunDial, a new collector for solar heat for industrial processes: Optical and thermal design
Rubén Abbas, Rubén Barbero, Antonio Rovira, Magdalena Barnetche
Abstract
The design of two collectors based on SunDial technology is conducted for two distinct case studies: a dairy company situated in Corinth (latitude 37.9°N) and a steel company located in Iasi (47.1°N). The discrepancy in latitudes necessitates different concept designs, one-axis for the former and two-axis tracking for the latter. To develop these collectors, a combination of models is employed, including a thermal model for the receiver, an analytic model for predicting mirror shape, an analytical model for reducing the number of optical design variables, and a Monte Carlo Ray Tracing model for final field optimization. The optimization results in both case studies indicate the adoption of double-field configurations, involving a rotary platform with two fields on top. Notably, for higher latitudes, the size of the platform and the total reflecting surface are smaller compared to lower latitudes (8.3x8.3 m2 Vs. 8.0x8.0 m2 and 47 m2 Vs. 44 m2, respectively). These compact collectors lead to an annual energy yield of 27.8 MWh at their respective final locations.