Experimental investigations on black epoxy coated aluminium receiver with FRP parabolic trough collector

The paper describes the experimental results of black epoxy coated aluminium receiver with prototype parabolic trough made of fiberglass reinforced plastic with aluminium receiver, and its aperture area of collector coated with aluminum foil with reflectivity 86%. From hotter climate context, there is wide market available for low cost solar concentrating technologies. These technologies can be applicable for domestic applications as well as industrial process heat. Along with low temperature applications there are several potential fields of application for solar thermal energy at medium-high temperatures (90°C-200°C). Described aluminum receiver coated with black proxy material and glass cover and without glass cover has been tested with line focusing parabolic trough. Instantaneous efficiency of 52% and 38 % has been achieved with glass covered receiver and without glass covered receiver respectively. Performance evaluation of prototype system has been done with two flow rates 0.023kg/s and 0.030 Kg/s during month of April and May 2010 at Shivaji university, Kolhapur [Latitude: 16.42° N, Longitude: 74.13°W].