Performance Prediction of a Dual-axis Tracking Solar Trough Collector Based on Artificial Neural Network

Abstract A dual-axis tracking parabolic trough solar collector, using a certain straight-trough tube, was set up to experimentally investigate the heat collecting performance. An artificial neural network(ANN) model was developed. Experimental data were used to train and predict the mean temperature of Heat transfer fluid in the solar trough collector based on the developed model. The Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method was also applied to optimize the weights and thresholds for the classic BP Newton algorithm, providing an ANN model with 9 hidden nodes and 30,000 training times. The predicted values are all in good agreement with the experimental data, with a mean relative error of 0.21% and a maximum error of 1.2%. In comparison, the mean relative error of the one-dimensional steady-state model reaches 1.07%. It indicates that the ANN exhibits excellent performance in predicting the export temperature of the solar collector with a specific flow rate of Heat transfer fluid. This ANN model is promising to predict the performance of solar trough collectors under different operating and environmental conditions.