Wijayanti Dwi Astuti, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D, and Imroatul Hudati, S.T., M.T., faculty members from the Instrumentation and Control Engineering Technology Program, along with their students, have successfully designed and developed an environmentally friendly heating system for the Fluidyne engine utilizing Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) technology. The key advantage of this Fluidyne engine lies in its use of sunlight as a heat source, rather than fossil fuels, which are typically employed in similar engines.
The PTC system is equipped with a solar tracking feature, allowing the PVC-coated reflector to precisely capture and direct sunlight onto the Heat Exchanger pipe of the Fluidyne engine throughout the day. Additionally, a monitoring system measures light intensity, temperature, and the reflector’s tilt angle to ensure optimal heating. Test results indicate that the PTC effectively focuses sunlight onto a single point, resulting in a significant temperature increase in the Heat Exchanger pipe.
Although research into the full-scale implementation of Parabolic Trough Collector technology on the Fluidyne engine is still underway, initial findings reveal significant potential for this technology as an eco-friendly energy solution. The PTC system is projected to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and facilitate more effective utilization of renewable energy sources.