Solar Thermal Collector Efficiency Equation

Solar collector performance variables can be used to promote the performance of a solar collector in particular the peak efficiency value is used.

Solar thermal collector efficiency equation.

Solar thermal energy ste is a form of energy and a technology for harnessing solar energy to generate thermal energy for use in industry and in the residential and commercial sectors. The inlet temperature of 40 c with a flow rate of 3 liters minute gives a range of efficiency values of glazed flat plate solar collector of 32 64 unglazed flat plate solar collector is 26 53. Low temperature collectors are generally unglazed and used to. The solar collector can be divided in two subsystems.

The solar collector efficiency represents the ratio between the heat absorbed by the solar receiver q r and the incident solar radiation i t0 normal on the collector s aperture of area a a. They gather the sun s energy transform its radiation into heat then transfer that heat to a fluid usually water or air. Solar collectors solar collectors are the key component of active solar heating systems. Ti inlet fluid temperature to the collector ºf ta ambient air temperature surrounding the collector ºf i solar radiation intensity striking the collector btu hr ft2.

The thermal efficiency of a solar heat collector is not static. P ti ta i p inlet fluid parameter. This can make a fair comparison of one collector to another rather difficult since panels come in different sizes are made of different materials and can be used in innumerable different climates and temperature applications. Obviously the higher the useful energy output from a particular design the higher the expected efficiency.

Simply stated collector efficiency is. Thus the thermal efficiency of the solar collector is η coll q r i t 0 a a. Solar thermal collectors are either non concentrating or concentrating. The solar energy collection efficiency of both thermal collectors and photovoltaic collectors is defined as the ratio of the rate of useful thermal energy leaving the collector to the useable solar irradiance falling on the aperture area.

Solar thermal collectors are classified by the united states energy information administration as low medium or high temperature collectors. Thermal efficiency of the collector is an important parameter to consider in this kind of analysis as it creates the basis for comparison of different materials and modifications of. The thermal efficiency of a collector is calculated by using the formula bellow. The solar thermal energy can be used in solar water heating systems solar pool heaters and solar space heating systems.

A solar thermal collector collects heat by absorbing sunlight the term solar collector commonly refers to a device for solar hot water heating but may refer to large power generating installations such as solar parabolic troughs and solar towers or non water heating devices such as solar air heaters.