A New Two-Foci V-Trough Concentrator for Small-Scale Linear Fresnel Reflectors

We present the design of an original secondary cavity for use in Small-Scale Fresnel Reflectors in photovoltaic applications. The cavity is similar to the classical V-trough, but the primary reflector system is configured so that there are two focal points on the aperture. The rays coming from each side of the primary system reach the opposite side of the cavity, producing a non-symmetrical distribution of the irradiance. This modifies the acceptance half-angle and allows us to break the maximum limit for the concentration ratio of ideal symmetric concentrators. Our study is analytic, and we provide formulas for any number of reflections. Numerical simulations with a ray-tracing program based on MATLAB are included. We provide a comparison of optical concentration ratio, height and cost parameter between our system and two classical designs with a single focal point: the V-trough and the Compound Parabolic concentrators. This way, we verify that our design yields better concentration ratios while keeping the ray acceptance rate at one. Our solution proves to be better than both the classical one-focus V-trough and the Compound Parabolic concentrator. Specifically, the proposed solution is significantly better than the classical one-focus V-trough in optical concentration ratio, with an increase between 15.02 and 35.95%. As regards the compound parabolic concentrator, the optical concentration ratio is always slightly better (around 4%). The height of the cavity, however, is notably less in this design (around 54.33%).

Automated summary

We propose a design of a secondary cavity for Small-Scale Fresnel Reflectors in photovoltaic applications. This cavity has two focal points and produces a non-symmetrical distribution of irradiance. Our analytic study provides formulas for any number of reflections and includes numerical simulations using MATLAB. By comparing with two classical designs, V-trough and Compound Parabolic concentrators, our design shows better concentration ratios without compromising the ray acceptance rate.