A review on design parameters and specifications of parabolic solar dish Stirling systems and their applications

Abstract

The ever-increasing energy demand around the world has attracted research efforts to transform renewable energy sources efficiently. This study reports the design parameters of the parabolic solar dish Stirling (PSDS) system, and the applications of PSDS systems have been discussed. In order to find the optimized design choices for the implementation of the PSDS plants, the system performance and key technical features of the parabolic dish concentrator, thermal receiver, and Stirling engine (SE) are demonstrated. Existing literature depicts significant differences in scope and frontiers of PSDS systems and their primary design characteristics such as the concentrators reflecting material, the concentrator and receiver shape, the dish diameter, aperture area sizing of the dish, the focal length of the dish, rim angle, the geometric concentration ratio, receiver material, and receiver diameter. The data coincide within published articles have been gathered and disaggregated regarding the optimal performance that influences the dish and diameter of the receiver, rim angle, and the geometric concentration ratio. The overall maximum theoretical efficiency of a PSDS system is 23.05% whereas an experimental study of power generation through PSDS system stated 22.75% overall efficiency with levelized cost of energy is 0.2565 $/kWh. This scientific literature review imparts a knowledge gap of recent development and data inventory in PSDS technology. Besides, this study develops grounds for several research areas for the scientific community yet to be explored to attain the optimal performance of the parabolic dish system.

Keywords

• Parabolic solar dish
• Solar Stirling engine
• Cavity receiver
• Design factors
• Applications