A Numerical Simulation of a Stationary Solar Field Augmented by Plane Reflectors: Optimum Design Parameters

Abstract

In this study, a theoretical analysis of a solar field augmented by a fixed reflector placed in the front between the top of the preceding row and the bottom of the succeeding row is presented. An analytical model has been developed and used to estimate the solar irradiation. The analytical model is based on the anisotropic sky model, assuming an infinite length of collector and reflector rows. A simulation has been carried out in order to figure out the behavior of the solar field and to find the optimum design parameters of the solar field leading to a maximum solar energy augmentation. The results obtained are depicted synoptically as a relationship between the solar field design parameters and the latitude angle, and this presentation enables us to determine the optimum design parameters in order to achieve the intended percentage improvement of solar radiation incident on the solar field rows at any location on the Northern hemisphere, which presents the novelty of this research. Also we have introduced a new parameter named “the effective height of the collector”, which presents the portion of the collector’s height illuminated by the reflector. This parameter is very important especially in case of PV solar fields, because it determines the domain of the concentrated solar energy over the surface of the PV panel.