Correlation between Absorber Plate Thickness δ and Collector Efficiency Factor Fˈ of Solar Flat-Plate Collector

Abstract

Solar collectors are the key component of active solar-heating systems. They collect the sun's energy, transform its radiation into heat, and then transfer that heat to a fluid. The solar thermal energy can be used in solar water-heating systems, solar pool heaters, and solar space-heating systems. The configuration of the Flat Plate Collector (FPC) is very important parameter which affects collector performance. The collector efficiency factor is directly affecting the efficiency of the solar flat-plate collector, this collector efficiency factor influenced with few other parameters, i.e. the center to center distance of absorber tubes W and thickness of absorber plate δ and heat loss coefficient UL. This paper focuses on the relation between δ with the collector efficiency factor of serpentine tube solar flat-plate collector. This study shows that if we increase the δ then Fˈ increases.