Impact of installation error and tracking error on the thermal-mechanical properties of parabolic trough receivers

As the solar energy utilization technology for renewable clean energy, actual parabolic trough receivers are subject to tracking errors and absorber tube installation errors, and the bellows and Kovar ring under these errors have a significant impact on the receiver's safety. Based on the MCRT-FVM-FEM principles in this paper, a re-ceiver's optical-thermal-stress mathematical model is modeled and the thermal-stress performance and safety of the receiver's key components under two errors are evaluated. The correlation between the bellows and Kovar ring's performance and the two errors is analyzed. The results demonstrate that the lower tracking errors and larger installation errors markedly increment the absorber's deformation and have a negative impact on the receiver safety. Bellows and Kovar ring's asymmetrical temperature distribution causes variable swell and un-even stress under tracking and installation errors. Temperature gradient variation of bellows is more sensitive under errors than Kovar rings. Kovar ring's compressive stress rises substantially as the Y-directional installation error varied from-15 mm to 15 mm compared to other errors. With tracking errors exceeding 8 mrad, bellows' tensile stress and Kovar ring's compressive stress diminish under installation error. Thus, larger tracking errors significantly reduce the threat to the receiver when installation errors exist.