Comprehensive Review of Line-Focus Concentrating Solar Thermal Technologies: Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) vs Linear Fresnel Reflector (LFR)

In the present review, parabolic trough collector (PTC) and linear Fresnel reflector (LFR) are comprehensively and comparatively reviewed in terms of historical background, technological features, recent advancement, economic analysis and application areas. It is found that although PTC and LFR are both classified as mainstream line-focus concentrating solar thermal (CST) technologies, they are now standing at different stages of development and facing their individual opportunities and challenges. For PTC, the development is commercially mature with steady and reliable performance; therefore, extension of application is the main future demand. For LFR, the development is still in rapid progress to commercial maturity, yet indicating very promising potentials with high flexibility in novel designs and remarkable reduction in capital and operational costs. The question, which has to be answered in order to estimate the future perspectives of these two line-focus CST technologies, becomes which of these characteristics carries more weight or how to reach an optimal trade-off between them.