Comparative analysis of the heat transfer for a linear Fresnel reflector in Jordan

This study analyzes the potential occurrence of two-phase flow within the absorber tube of a Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR) system installed at a factory in Amman, Jordan. The analysis compares the existing heat transfer fluid, water, with Therminol VP-1, a synthetic thermal oil, to address and mitigate challenges associated with two-phase flow formation. Using FluidFlow V3.44 software, simulations were conducted to evaluate temperature rise, output pressure, vapor quality, and the likelihood of two-phase flow under three distinct operational cases provided by the system operators. The results demonstrated that the simulations closely align with the actual system behavior for water. When Therminol VP-1 was analyzed under the same inlet conditions, it exhibited superior thermal stability by eliminating two-phase flow formation, and achieved an improved temperature profile compared to water such as the output temperature increased from 131.48 °C using water to 138.66 °C using Therminol VP-1, enhancing the overall performance of the LFR system stability. These findings position Therminol VP-1 as a viable and competitive alternative for improving the thermal performance and operational reliability of LFR systems.