Methodology of Determining the Optimum Performances of a Solar Thermal Power Plant with Linear Fresnel Concentrators

The objective of this study is to present a detailed methodology for optical optimization of a linear Fresnel concentrator solar array used for heat and power generation. The latter was carried out through a parametric study and a dimensioning calculation in order to determine the influence of each parameter on the performance of the plant, namely: impact of the glass and the impact of the geometry of the receiver. The optical modeling of the various parameters of the solar field was carried out by a calculation code based on the method of Ray tracing Monte Carlo. This code has been developed and validated by experimental measurements performed on a solar prototype with a linear Fresnel concentrator installed in the South of France. Indeed, the analysis of the results presented in the form of tables and curves allowed us to determine the optimal configuration of our solar prototype; this configuration gives better theoretical and experimental performances. Based on this optimal configuration, several solar thermal power plants have been installed and commercialized.