Study on wind loads coefficients and rlow field characteristics around the parabolic trough with stiffeners

Abstract EN

In the current study, the numerical analysis of the flow field characteristics around the parabolic trough with stiffener of solar polar concentrating power system is performed.

The presence of stiffener changes the velocity and pressure distribution around the trough and then the wind loads also changed.

Wind loads (drag, lift and moment) coefficients for different wind speeds and angles of attack are simulated.

Pressure distribution, velocity distribution and turbulent kinetic energy for different wind speeds and angles of attack are also simulated.

To verify the numerical simulation, comparisons with experimental results are performed.

Reproducing of experimental boundary condition is carried out in numerical simulations.

The numerical simulations are performed by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package fluent 12.1.

The results of this simulation show that the flow field characteristics are strongly related to angles of attack and trough orientation.

Also the most important result of this study is that the presence of stiffener makes the trough a more bluff body than the trough without stiffener.

This development of trough configuration will excite more vortexes shedding around the edges of trough.