Study of the project parameters influence in the performance of solar collectors.

Abstract

This paper aims to observe the influence of design parameters on the performance of plane solar collectors. From the energy balance of the plane solar collector, the mathematical model was implemented varying the following design parameters: (i) Thickness of the absorber plate; (ii) Distance between the absorber and the cover; (iii) Edge insulation thickness; (iv) Absorber emittance; (v) Conductivity of the absorber; (vi) Convective heat transfer coefficient inside the tubes; (vii) Distance between tubes; (viii) Wind velocity; (ix) Solar radiation incident; and (x) Back insulation thickness. These parameters were altered observing the influence on the optical efficiency; the coefficient of energy loss; the instantaneous efficiency; and the useful energy gain. From the results, it is possible to see that the parameters that most influence the performance of the solar collector are the distance between the absorber and the cover, the absorber emittance, the thermal conductivity of the absorber, the distance between tubes, wind speed and solar radiation incident.