SOLAR COLLECTORS

INTRODUCTION
A solar collector is the device that converts solar irradiation energy
either to the thermal energy of the working fluid in solar thermal
applications, or to the electric energy directly in Photovoltaic (PV)
applications.

A solar collector absorbs the incident solar radiation and converts it

into useful heat energy which is used for heating a collector fluid
such as water, oil or air. The surface of a solar collector is designed
for high absorption and low emission

The liquid heating collectors are often used for heating water
whereas air heating collectors are used for drying of agricultural
products, heating of green-houses etc.
 For solar thermal technology
A solar thermal collector is a device which absorbs heat from
the sunlight and transfers the heat to the fluid flowing in
contact with it.
solar irradiation is absorbed by a solar collector as heat which
is then transferred to its working fluid (air, water or oil).
The heat carried by the working fluid can be used to either
provide domestic hot water/heating, or to charge a thermal
energy storage tank from which the heat can be drawn for use
later (at night or cloudy days).
 Types of solar thermal collectors
solar collectors are usually classified into two
categories according to concentration ratios:
i. Non concentrating collectors and
ii. concentrating collectors.
 Non-concentrating solar collectors
Is the collector in which the area that intercepts the
sunlight is the same as the area that absorbs the solar
radiation. They are usually permanently fixed in position,
and therefore need to be oriented appropriately.
The important parts of a typi­cal non concentrating
collector are shown in Figure below. The absorber plate
with several parallel tubes is fabricated from copper tube
and sheet by soft soldering.
• The plate is blackened in order to absorb maximum
amount of sunlight.
• The plate is enclosed in a box to insulate it on the
sides and bottom so as to prevent losses and
thereby attain high temperatures.
• Also one or more transparent glass or plas­tic
sheets are placed on the top of the blackened
sheet so as to avoid heat losses by re-radiation
 Types of non concentrating collector
There are two main types of non concentrating solar
thermal collectors. Which are;
i. Flat plate collector
ii. Evacuated Tube Collector
 FLAT PLAT COLLECTOR
• The design and construction of this type of collector are
simple.
• It is a box made up of metal consisting of copper pipes
running in parallel called risers. The fluid (typically water)
flows through these risers.

• The top of the box has a dark- coloured absorber plate

and the rest of the faces of the box are insulated to
prevent the heat losses. On absorbing the radiation from
the sun, the circulating water inside the risers heats up.
• This type of collector is mainly used for domestic
purposes where the temperature required is not
too high like heating of tanks, pools or tubs.
•  the main components of a typical flat-plate solar
collector:
• Black surface  - absorbent of the incident solar energy
• Glazing cover - a transparent layer that transmits
radiation to the absorber, but prevents radiative and
convective heat loss from the surface
• Tubes- containing heating fluid to transfer the heat
from the collector
• Support structure- to protect the components and
hold them in place
• Insulation- covering sides and bottom of the collector
to reduce heat losses
• working of Flat Plate Collectors: 
• When the sunlight falls the metal box which
contains with glass this used to strikes the plates
which are placed to absorb the heat from the sun,
this gets heated and this is used to transfer the heat
into the fluids which is passing in the tubes by this
fluids gets heated.
 Orientation of flat plate collector
Flat-plate collectors are installed facing the equator
(i.e. South oriented in the Northern hemisphere and
North oriented in the Southern hemisphere).

The optimal tilt of the collector plate is close to the

latitude of the location (+/- 15o).
 Transport fluid options

• The flat plate collectors can involve liquid or air

heat transport

• Water is one of the common options as liquid fluid

due to its accessibility and good thermal properties
• Air can be used as transport fluid in some designs of
flat -plate collectors.

• This option is better suited to space heating

applications or crop drying. A fan is usually required
to facilitate air flow in the system and efficient heat
transport.

• Certain designs can provide passive (no fan)

movement of air due to thermal buoyancy.