A parabolic trough collector (PTC) is a line-focus collector which can rotate about a fixed horizontal axis to track the movement of the sun.
A PTC uses a mirror in the shape of a parabolic cylinder to reflect and concentrate solar radiation onto a receiver tube lying along the focal line of the parabolic cylinder. The receiver absorbs the incoming radiation and transforms it into thermal energy which is collected by a fluid medium circulating within the receiver tube. This method can be used either for thermal energy collection, for generating electricity or for both.
