Solar Collector

By Bhargav Patel
• Solar collector: Device which collect solar radiation
and transfer to fluid passing in contact with it.
• Solar power has low density (1- 0.1 kw/m2)
• So large area require for collecting radiation
Classification of solar collectors
 Non-concentrating type collector
• Solar absorbing surface is flat with no means for concentrating
• Collecting area is same as absorbing
• No require sun tracking system so mechanically stronger than other
• Less maintenance
• Large area suspected to heat loss because of no concentration
• No attained high temperatures
 Concentrating type collector
• Require reflector or other optical means for concentration
• Large collecting area to Smaller absorbing area
• Mainly beam radiation and very little diffuse radiation
collected
• High temp achieved
 Liquid Flat plate collector

Ethylene glycol used if ambient temp is lower than zero Celsius

Collector – Absorber plat type
 Flat plate air heating system
• Eliminated corrosion problem
• Use for space heating
 Types of Air collators

1. Non- porous absorber type:

• Air does not flow through the absorber plate.

• Flow above or below the plate
2. Porous Absorber type

• Flow through
absorber
plate
 Advantage of solar air heater
1. Air used directly as working fluid
2. Eliminated corrosion
3. Leakage is less
4. Not high pressure in duct
5. Compact and simple
6. Less maintained

Disadvantages of solar air heater

1. Due to low convective heat transfer coefficient of air, poorly
absorbed heat
2. Less storage efficiency
3. Large amount of air to blow through system
 Effect of various parameters on performance of flat plate collector

• Design, operational, metrological, environmental parameter affect the

performance
1.Selective surface
• High value of absorptivity
• Low value of emissivity
• Max neat heat energy collection
• Reduce thermal loss
• Copper oxide, nickel black, black chrome
2. Number of covers
• Transfer max energy to absorber plate and min heat loss
• Increase no glass covers value absorptivity and transmissivity also decrease &
heat flux absorbed by plat is decrease
• Max efficiency with 1-2 glass cover
3. Collector tilt
• Flat plate collector are generally fixed in one position and do not track sun
4. Spacing
• Het loss varies with the spacing
• Max convective heat transfer coefficient
• Spacing range from 4-8 cm
5. Fluid inlet temperature
• It increase the operating temp of collector
6. Cover transmissivity
7. Dust on top of the Cover
8. Performance over the day
9. Shading
 Concentrating collector
• Types of Concentrating collector
A. Focussing
1. Line Focussing
• Parabolic trough collector
• Mirror Strip reflector
• Fresnel lens Collector
2. Point Focussing Collector
• Paraboloid dish collector
• Heliostat mirror
B. Non Focussing
• Flat plate collector with plane reflector
• Compound parabolic collector
 1. Flat plate collector with plane reflector
• Flat Mirror at the edge of absorber
• Change angle of mirror with sun movement
2.Compound parabolic concentrator (CPC)
• Two parabolic mirror, attached to flat receiver such that focus
of one is located at bottom of other in contact with receiver
• Large acceptance angle
• Diffuse radiation received
• Concentration ratio 4-7
• No sun tracking system require
Parabolic trough collector
Mirror strip reflector
Fresnel lens collector
Paraboloidal dish collector