Slope error measurements of parabolic troughs using the reflected image of the absorber tube

Abstract

A new fast method for optically measuring the reflector slope of parabolic troughs with high accuracy has been developed. It uses the reflection of the absorber tube in the concentrator as seen from some distance and is therefore called “absorber reflection method”. A digital camera is placed at a distant observation point perpendicular to the trough axis with the concentrator orientated towards it. Then, a set of pictures from the absorber tube reflection is taken with the concentrator in slightly different tilt angles. A specially developed image analysis algorithm detects the edges of the absorber tube in the reflected images. This information, along with the geometric relationship between the components of the set-up and the known approximately parabolic shape of the concentrator, is used to calculate the slopes perpendicular to the trough axis. Measurement results of a EuroTrough segment of four facets are presented and verified with results from a reference measurement using high-resolution close-range photogrammetry. The results show good agreement as well in statistical values as in local values of the reflector slope. In contrast to the photogrammetric data acquisition method, the new technique allows for drastically reduced measurement time.