A comparative study is made between various optimized configurations of finned tube heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from a solar parabolic trough collector to a bench-scale dryer. The exchanger design relies on the logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD) and conjugate directions optimization method already integrated into the Engineering Equation Solver software (EES). Total cost minimization was set as the objective function. The model is first tested with previous literature results before being used to compare optimum configurations of four distinct heat exchanger configurations. The effect of five geometric and operating parameters is investigated. Results show that the third heat exchanger configuration (HX₃) yields the lowest costs. Therminol -LT and -VP1, as well as Dowtherm -Q and -A, were found as the best working fluids for this application. Using copper as both tubes and fins material results in the smallest heat transfer surface area because of its high thermal conductivity. When economics are considered, aluminum and stainless steel alloys become suitable alternatives for fins and tubes, respectively. This yields savings of more than 40% on total costs from an all-copper construction.

在用于将热能从太阳能抛物槽收集器传递到台式干燥器的翅片管热交换器的各种优化配置之间进行了比较研究。交换器设计依赖于已经集成到工程方程求解器软件（EES）中的对数平均温差（LMTD）和共轭方向优化方法。将总成本最小化设置为目标函数。首先使用先前的文献结果对模型进行测试，然后将其用于比较四种不同的热交换器配置的最佳配置。研究了五个几何参数和操作参数的影响。结果表明，第三种热交换器配置（HX ₃）产生最低的成本。发现Therminol -LT和-VP1以及Dowtherm -Q和-A是该应用的最佳工作流体。由于铜的导热系数高，因此使用铜作为管材和散热片材料可实现最小的传热表面积。考虑到经济因素，铝和不锈钢合金分别成为散热片和管材的合适替代品。全铜结构可节省40％以上的总成本。