Thermal performance analysis of a novel compound parabolic concentrator solar collector

The heat transfer mechanism of compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) evacuated tubular solar collector is analyzed. And its performance prediction model is developed. Through the comparison We conclude that the collector without glass cover gets a better thermal efficiency than that of the collector with glass cover under the same radiation intensity, when the operating temperature is low. And the collector with top glass cover begins to get a better thermal efficiency than that of the collector without top glass cover, when the operating temperature is increased. This finding may be important for the design of efficient CPC solar collectors.