• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Analyzation of a Parabolic Solar Trough and Collector Using Ray-Tracing Software TracePro

Graduate #98
Discipline: Technology and Engineering
Subcategory: Civil/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Flomo N. Kokro - California State University, Los Angeles


A Solar Thermal Concentration System (STCS) uses a mirror in the shape of a parabolic half-cylinder to reflect and concentrate solar radiation on a collector tube located at the focus line. The collector, a cylindrical double-walled vacuum tube, traps the incident concentrated sunlight and reaches temperatures in excess of 450˚F. It may either be filled with water to create hot water/steam directly, or may house copper or aluminum heat exchangers and a working fluid to transfer the heat to water. The system may be used either as a water heater, or to generate steam and power an engine/generator.

Key to the efficient working of the parabolic concentrator is that the parabola be oriented so that the solar rays are normal to the half-cylinder, i.e. the sun lies along the vertical ‘y’ axis of symmetry of the parabola. The 24-hour rotation and seasonal movement of the earth’s axis around the sun means that the cylinder must be gimbaled in two dimensions to maintain optimal alignment with the sun. A solar-tracking actuator system must be installed along the gimbal axes to rotate the STCS using either photo-sensors (or more sophisticated power-measurement and neuro-algorithms) for feedback control, or an open-loop system that uses astronomical data to precisely predict the correct orientation of the sun relative to the system at any instant time of day.

My research employs a technique called Ray Tracing to focus on three practical questions: (i) how does the accuracy of tracking impact the efficiency of the system, (ii) which ‘size’ parabola of given cross-sectional area yields the least sensitivity to tracking errors, and (iii) how efficient are easier-to-build shapes such as circular cross-section and even conical collectors employing the same type of collector tube, especially when these are used in fixed orientation? Addressing these questions should point the way towards low-cost and more rugged solar concentrator systems with acceptable efficiency.

KokroFlomoERNAbstract.docx

Funder Acknowledgement(s): CSULA LSAMP-BD Cohort XI is supported by the NSF via Grant #HRD-1363399.

Faculty Advisor: Samuel Landsberger, slandsb@calstatela.edu

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science