Design of a polymer reflector carrier based parabolic trough collector

1.1. Design specifications

When the authors set forth to develop a parabolic trough collector system especially targeted at commercial buildings the following design criteria were seen as important:

• Aesthetic appeal with low height

• Modular system allowing also small fields (say as small as 50m2) to be economically viable

• Easy to install; not requiring special tooling or lifting equipment

• Accommodate alternative layouts and orientations on complex roof geometries

EUROSUN 2008

image0261st International Congress on Heating, Cooling, and Buildings 7th to 10th October, Lisbon — Portugal *

• Light weight for roof mounting with few foundation points

• Accuracy and stiffness to ensure high performance

• Cost competitive on a $/kWh level

• All components shipped in 20 ft ISO sea containers