Solar Energy Collectors

Solar Energy

Heat Electricity
Solar Thermal Solar Photovoltaics
 Different types of collectors

I. Flat plate collectors

II. Concentrating collectors

Flat plate collectors based on heat transfer fluid divided into

1. Liquid heating collectors using Water

2. Air collectors or solar air heaters using air or gas
1) Liquid flat plate collectors
Principle of Thermosiphon / Natural Circulation

Hot water at about 70-80 C

100 liter hot water per day (or its multiples)
Std. Collector area: 2m x 1m
Cost : Rs. 18,500
Payback period : 3 years
 Absorber configurations

Circular &
diamond tube
sections
Copper & steel
tube materials
Powder
coating &
electro plating
 Selective coatings
Material Absorptivity () Emissivity (ε)
Black chrome 0.94-0.96 0.20-0.25
Black nickel 0.91 0.14
Black copper 0.88-0.91 0.12-0.20
Commercial 0.94-0.95 0.06
coatings
Collector efficiencies at different irradiances and
temperature differences
Parameters affecting the performance of a Flat
Plate Collector

• Selective coating
• Number of covers
• Spacing between cover and absorber
• Collector tilt
• Fluid inlet temperature
• Incident solar flux
• Dust on the top cover
 II. Concentrating collectors

Concentrating or focusing collectors intercept direct radiation

over a large area and focus it onto a small absorber area.

These collectors can provide high temperatures more

efficiently than flat-plate collectors, since the absorption
surface area is much smaller.

Most concentrating collectors require mechanical equipment

that constantly orients the collectors toward the sun and
keeps the absorber at the point of focus.

However, diffused sky radiation cannot be focused onto the

absorber
 Types of concentrating collectors

• Focussing Type

• Non-focussing type
 Parabolic trough collector
Reflector dimension
Length : roughly 3 to 5 m
Width : about 1.5 to 2.4 m

Reflector is made of highly polished aluminium,

or Silvered glass or thin film aluminized plastics
on a firm base.

Aperture area ranges from 1 to 6 m2

CR range is from 10 to 30.

 Mirror strip reflector

CR range is from 10 to 100.

 Fresnel lens collector

French physicist who invented polarized

light and invented the Fresnel lens (1788-
1827)

Lens made of an acrylic plastic sheet, flat

on one side, with fine longitudinal grooves
on the other side.

Lens rectangle, about 4.7 m in overall

length and 0.95 m in width

CR range is from 10 to 80

Temperature range : 150° C to 400° C

 Point focusing collector
(Paraboloidal Type)

A dish of 6 m in diameter is constructed

from 200 curved mirror segments

Absorber made of Zirconium – copper alloy

with a selective coating of black chrome

CR range is from 100 to 1000

Temperature upto 2000° C

 Compound parabolic concentrator (CPC):
Non-Focusing type

CR range is from 3 to 10

Temperature upto 200° C

Acceptance angle is 11.5°

(Mirror)

Different types of absorber

• Flat one sided absorber

• Flat two sided absorbers (fin)
• Wedge like absorbers
• Tubular absorbers
Air collectors or Solar air heaters
 Types of air heaters based on absorber plate

• Non-porous absorber plate type collectors

• Collectors with porous absorbers
Non-porous type with air passage above the absorber

The hot air flows above the absorber, the glass cover receives much of the
heat and in turn, looses it to the ambient. Thus a substantial amount of
heat is lost to the ambient and hence this air heater is not recommended
Non-porous type with air passage below the absorber

High aspect ratio for the air flow

Non-porous air heater with air stream
flowing on both sides

Efficiency of air heaters is less

Non-porous finned type solar air heater

Heat transfer coefficient is increased

Vee-corrugated type solar air heater

This increases the heat transfer area and may make the
surface directionally selective.
 Porous type solar air heater
(Matrix solar air heater)

Slit and expanded metal over lapped glass

plate absorber and transpired honeycomb

Pressure drop is usually lower