Solar thermal energy

Solar collectors
• 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.
 Performance Indices
 Collector Efficiency
 It is defined as the ratio of the energy actually absorbed
and transferred to heat transporting fluid by collector
(useful energy) to the incident energy
 Temperature range
 It is the range of temperature to which the heat transport
fluid is heated up by the collector.
 Concentration Ratio
 It is defined as the ratio of the area of the aperture of the
system to the area of the receiver.
Classification of solar thermal
collectors
 Comparison of concentrating and non-
concentrating solar thermal collectors
 Concentrating type solar collectors mainly use of beam
radiation (plus very little diffuse radiation coming
directly over absorber), while non-concentrating
collectors absorb both beam and diffuse radiation.
Which is the main advantage of non-concentrating solar
thermal collectors.
 A non-concentrating collector is simple in construction
and does not require sun tracking system. Concentrating
type of collector is complex in in construction. The
efficiency of the concentrating type of collector may be
increased if solar tracking system is used.
 High temperature can’t be produced for non-
concentrating type of solar collector.
 The CR of the concentration type of solar
collector is high compared to the non-
concentrating type of solar thermal collectors.
 Flat-plate collector
Basic Elements:
1. Transparent cover
2. Blackened absorber
plate
3. Tubes, Channels or
passages
4. Weather tight container
5. Thermal insulation
•
Heating Pipes
Construction of flat-plate collector
 Effect of Various parameters on
performance
 Selective Surface: Absorber plate surface which exhibit the
characteristics of high value of absorptivity for incoming solar
radiation and low value of emissivity for outgoing radiation are
called selective surface. Such surfaces are desirable because they
maximize the net energy collection. Such example of selective
surface layers are copper oxide, nickel black and black chrome.
 Number of Cover
 Spacing
 Collector Tilt: As the position of the flat plate collector is fixed,
it need to be placed at the optimum position to extract maximum
energy. It is recommended value of (φ+10˚) or (φ+15˚) for
winter and (φ-10˚) or (φ-15˚) for summer.
 Dust on the top of the cover
 Material Selection for various parts of flat
plate collector
• Absorber Plat:
• Absorber plate material should have
High thermal conductivity
Adequate tensile
Compressive strength
Good corrosion resistance
Copper is generally the material of choice due to high
conductivity and resistance to corrosion.
Other possible materials for absorber plate may be
aluminium, steel, brass and zinc
• Insulation:
• The desirable property of the thermal insulating
materials are :-
Low thermal conductivity
Stability up to high usable temperature (upto 200˚C)
No out gassing up to 200˚C
Self-supporting feature without tendency to settle
Ease of application
No contribution in corrosion
• Cover Plate:
• The ideal cover should :
Transmit maximum solar energy to the absorber plate
Minimize upward heat loss from the absorber plate to the
environment
Shield the absorber from direct exposer to weathering
Be a lightweight and easy to work.

Most important factor for the cover plate materials:

1. Durability
2. Strength
3. Non-degradability
4. Good transmittance to the incoming solar radiation.
 Tempered glass has high durability and
stability under the exposere to UV rays and
high temperature.
 Transmittance of the glass depends on its iron
content. Glass with high iron content
transmits less light.
 Tempered water-white crystal glass should be
used.
• CR of Flat plate collector is less than or equal
to 1.
• Temperature range is >100˚C
• Water is used as the main liquid – Water
heater
• Air may also be used as medium – Air heater
 Application of flat plate collector
 Solar water heater
Principle of Solar water heater
 Modified flat plate collector
• CR = 1-4
• Temperature range = upto 100˚C
 Compound parabolic collector
• CR= 3-7
• Temperature range = upto 120˚C - 140 ˚C
 Cylindrical Parabolic Collector
• CR – 5-30
• Temperature Range – 150˚C- 200˚C
 Fixed mirror solar concentrator

CR- 10-30
Temperature
Range – 150˚C-
200˚C
 Linear Fresnel Lens Collector
• CR – 10-30
• Temperature Range – 150˚C – 300˚C
 Parabolic dish collector
• CR – 10- few
thousands
• Temperature
Range – 300˚C
• Parabolic dish
collector of 6-7m
in diameter are
commonly
manufacture
 Central Tower Receiver
• Large number of flat mirrors (Heliostats) are
used to reflect the beam radiation to the
receiver
• Heliostats are spread in the area with a radius
upto 2 km
• CR- 3000
• Temperature range – 500˚C-600˚C
Application of Solar thermal Energy
• Solar water heater
Distillation of water using solar energy
Solar Cooker
Temperature range : 60˚C – 80˚C
Parabolic Solar Cooker
• Temperature range : 100˚C – 120˚C
 Solar green house
• Winter green house
• Summer green house
 Solar Air dryer
• Solar Cabinet dryer
Solar Pond
 Solar thermal energy to electrical energy

 Using liquid
 Using Gas
Solar Thermal power plant
Low temperature solar power plant
• Thank You