Abstract
Flat mirrors are frequently used to increase the heat output from flat-plate collectors. They are generally oriented in an east-west direction and are mounted below and/or above the collector panels. The annual performance of a mirror-boosted system can be improved by allowing periodic adjustments of the mirrors alone or of the panel-mirror units. In order to compare different mirror-panel configurations their solar flux concentration ratios are averaged over a yearly period using the solar elevation angle time probability function. AH configurations have the same ratio of mirror area to panel area. In general, it is found that the mirror orientations are more important than the panel orientations. Seasonal adjustments of the mirrors suffice to maintain acceptable values of the concentration and there is relatively little advantage in providing for collector panel adjustments. For year-round collection configurations with semiannual mirror adjustments provide a marked increase in output relative to fixed configurations. A double-mirror system (adjustable trough) provides higher concentrations than a single-mirror system for equal mirror area. Adjustable trough configurations with zero acceptance angle provide higher annual average concentration ratios than those with non-zero acceptance angles.
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