The value of improvements in the absorbing and glazing surfaces of solar devices

Abstract

Simulation techniques are used to examine the value of various technical improvements in solar collection-storage devices in residential, industrial and agricultural passive space heating applications. The improvements include decreased emittances and increased absorptances in absorbing surfaces, and decreased reflectances and emittances in glazings. The improvements are evaluated in the context of a single family house and of an agricultural and an industrial application having large ventilation requirements. The results of this study show that decreases in glazing reflectance are of the most value, followed (in order of likely decreasing importance) by increased absorber absorptance, decreased absorber emittance, and decreased glazing emittance. These qualitative results should not be used to determine or guide research priorities directly; rather, individual research programs should be evaluated using the quantitative results of this study in conjunction with other applicable information.