Yakoob Kolipaka ,INDIA / International Journal of Research and Computational Technology,

Vol.7 Issue.5 Page:01-05

ISSN: 0975-5662, Dec, 2015 www.ijrct.org

Thermal Analysis of Solar Flat Plate Collector

# Yakoob Kolipak,Associate Professor, ME Dept, E-mail:yakoob.cjits @gmail.com

# Kranthi Kumar Guduru,Assistant Professor,ME Dept, E-mail: [email protected]
# Christu Jyoti Institute of Technology&Science,T.S state ,India

Abstract- In the solar-energy industry the major component unique to active systems is the solar
collector. The Solar collector absorbs solar radiation, converts it into heat at the absorbing surface,
and transfers this heat to a fluid flowing through the collector. The heated d fluid carries the heat
either directly to the hot water or space conditioning equipment or to a storage subsystem from which
can be drawn for use at night and on cloudy days. In a detailed thermal analysis of a solar flat plate
collector, many factors are involved. Efforts are made to combine these factors into a equation. The
formulation of a mathematical model describes the thermal performance of the collector in a efficient
manner.

Index Ter ms - collector heat removal factor, intensity of solar radiation, collector average
temperature, collector overall heat loss coefficient, collector heat input, useful energy gain,
collector efficiency, transmission coefficient of glazing, absorption coefficient of plate.

1 INTRODUCTION
Solar Collectors
Solar collectors are the key component of active
solar-heating systems. They gather the sun's
energy, transform its radiation into heat, then
transfer that heat to a fluid (usually water or air).
The solar thermal energy can be used in solar
water-heating systems, solar pool heaters, and
solar space-heating systems. There are a large
number of solar collector designs that have
shown to be functional. These designs are Fig. 1 A typical liquid Flat Plate Collector
classified in two general types of solar collectors:
Flat-plate collectors the absorbing surface is Flat-plate collectors are used for residential
approximately as large as the overall collector water heating and hydronic space-heating
area that intercepts the sun's rays. installations.
Concentrating collectors large areas of mirrors
or lenses focus the sunlight onto a smaller
absorber. 2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Flat-plate collectors Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the
Flat-plate collectors are the most common solar heat flow through a collector. The work focused
collector for solar water-heating systems in on how to measure its thermal performance,
homes and solar space heating. A typical flat- i.e. the useful energy gain or the collector
plate collector is an insulated metal box with a efficiency.
glass or plastic cover (called the glazing) and a
dark-colored absorber plate. These collectors
heat liquid or air at temperatures less than 80C.

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 Yakoob Kolipaka ,INDIA / International Journal of Research and Computational Technology,
Vol.7 Issue.5 Page:01-05
ISSN: 0975-5662, Dec, 2015 www.ijrct.org

and thermal distribution was investigated with

CFD simulations. The CFD model was validated
by measurements with the solar collector with
circular tube and absorber configurations.
Comparison between CFD simulation and the
experimental measurements showed that the
simulations were quite satisfactory in predicting
the outlet temperatures. It shows only 5%
deviation. This enhanced heat absorption by the
working fluid reduces the overall temperature of
the absorber plate while improving the efficiency
of the collector [2].

The use of solar collectors in combination with

heat pipes is rapidly growing in recent years.
Heat pipes, as heat transfer components, have
undeniable advantages in comparison with other
alternatives.
Fig. 2 Heat flow through a Flat Plate solar The most important advantage is their high rate
collector of heat transfer at minor temperature differences.
Although there have been numerous studies on
Thus it is necessary to define step by step the heat analysis or first thermodynamic analysis
the singular heat flow equations in order to find of flat plate solar collectors in combination with
heat pipes, the exergy analysis of these
the governing equations of the collector
collectors is needed to be investigated.
system.
In this work, energy and exergy analysis of a flat
plate solar collector with a heat pipe is conducted
3 LITERATURE SURVEY theoretically.
Next, the exergy efficiency of pulsating heat pipe
The experimental results to predict the effect of flat plate solar collectors (PHPFPSC) is
different parameters on system thermal compared with conventional collectors by using
performance and efficiency, for flat plate the experimental data. The results indicate that
collector in double flow mode with and without the use of heat pipes for heat transfer from the
using a porous media have been conducted. It is absorption plate to the water reservoir has
found that increasing the mass flow rate through significantly higher availability and exergy
the air heaters results in higher efficiency. The efficiency than the case with conventional
double flow is more efficient than the single flow collectors with intermediate fluid [3].
mode due to the increased heat removal for two
channels compared to one flow channel, and the A comprehensive theoretical study was carried
using of porous media increase the system out to evaluate the thermal performance of flat
efficiency and the outlet temperature hence the plate solar collector using altered nano fluid as
use of porous media increases the heat transfer absorbing medium. The assumptions can be
area. drawn that the efficiency of the collector
advances with growing nano particles volume
This increment will result in the increase of the concentration due to an improved heat transfer
pressure drop thus increasing the pumping to the nano fluid flow. The exergy loss of the
power expanded in the collector. Thermal system reduces subject to the increase of the
performance of the collector is improved by collector efficiency.
integrating a porous matrix in the absorber plate
of the system. Thus, finally concluded that the With increasing nanoparticles volume
efficiency will be maximum only by using the concentration, exergy can be enhanced with
sand as a porous medium. Also,this will be reducing exergy loss. From the analyses, it is
economic when compared to non porous revealed that by inserting a small amount of
medium of the solar flat plate collector[1]. grapheme nanoparticles in water, exergy
efficiency could be enhanced by 21%, comparing
A numerical and experimental investigation of to conventional fluids the entropy generation,
the flow and temperature distribution in a solar however, is decreased by 4% [4].
collector was performed. The influence of the
tube shape and the absorber plate effect on flow

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Vol.7 Issue.5 Page:01-05
ISSN: 0975-5662, Dec, 2015 www.ijrct.org

Flat Plate Collector (FPC) is widely used for operating conditions on thermal efficiency of
domestic hot-water, space heating/drying and for solar collectors. Important parameters such as
applications requiring fluid temperature less than absorber thickness, riser position, shape of tube
100oC. Three main components associated with cross section, absorber material, absorber
FPC namely, absorber plate, top covers and absorptivity, glass transmissivity, and mass flow
heating pipes. The absorber plate is selective rate have been investigated. Results show that
coated to have high absorptivity. It receives heat the efficiency of collector with risers on top of the
by solar radiation and by conduction; heat is absorber plate is 4.2% more than that of the
transferred to the flowing liquid through the collector with risers on bottom. Also the tube
heating pipes. The fluid flow through the collector cross-sectional geometry shows strong effect on
pipes is by natural (thermosyphon effect) or by the efficiency e.g. the efficiency of collectors with
forced circulation (pump flow). For small water circular tubes is 38.4% more than that of
heating systems natural circulation is used for collectors with triangular cross sections. Thermal
fluid flow. Conventionally, absorbers of all flat efficiency of solar collectors increases with
plate collectors are straight copper/aluminum increasing the fluid flow rate, plate absorptivity,
sheets however, which limits on the heat absorber thickness, and glass transmissivity [7].
collection surface transfer area. Thus, higher
heat collection surface area is optimized by
changing its geometry with the same space of
conventional FPC. The objective of present study
is to evaluate the performance of FPC with
different geometric absorber configuration. It is
expected that with the same collector space
higher thermal efficiency or higher water
temperature can be obtained. Thus, cost of the
FPC can be further bring down by enhancing the
collector efficiency. A test setup is fabricated and
experiments conduct to study these aspects
under laboratory conditions (as per IS standard
available for the flat plate collector testing)[5].

A theoretical study to investigate the effect of

mass flow rate, flow channel depth and collector
length on the system thermal performance and
pressure drop through the collector with and
without porous medium. The solution procedure Figure 3 shows the schematic diagram of a
is performed for flat plate collector in single and typical solar system employing a flat plate solar
double flow mode. collector and a storage tank.
The analysis of the results at the same
configuration and parameters shows that the Taking I as the intensity of solar radiation, in
system thermal efficiency increases by 10-12% W/m2, incident on the aperture plane of the solar
in double flow mode than single flow due to the collector having a collector surface area of A,m2,
increased of heat removal, and increase by 8% then the amount of solar radiation received by
after using porous medium in the lower channel the collector is:
as a result of the increase of heat transfer area.
Qin = I.A (1)
At the same time the pressure drop will be
increased. All collectors show improved
However, as it is shown Figure 2, a part of this
efficiency obtained when the collector operates
radiation is reflected back to the sky, another
at relatively high flow rates, and at relatively low
component is absorbed by the glazing and the
collector temperature rise since the collector
rest is transmitted through the glazing and
losses will be less in low temperature difference
reaches the absorber plate as short wave
[6].
radiation.
A numerical analysis was used to investigate the Therefore the conversion factor indicates the
effect of different parameters on thermal percentage of the solar rays penetrating the
efficiency of flat plate solar collectors. Various transparent cover of the collector (transmission)
geometries were examined in order to assess and the percentage being absorbed.
the influence of geometrical characteristics and

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 Yakoob Kolipaka ,INDIA / International Journal of Research and Computational Technology,
Vol.7 Issue.5 Page:01-05
ISSN: 0975-5662, Dec, 2015 www.ijrct.org

Basically,it is the product of the rate of bottom and from the edges of the collector do
transmission of the cover and the absorption always exist. Their contribution, however, is not
rate of the absorber. as significant as the losses from the top [8].
Thus,
Qin = I ( ) A (2) A measure of a flat plate collector performance is
As the collector absorbs heat its temperature is the collector efficiency () defined as the ratio of
getting higher than that of the surrounding and the useful energy gain (Qu) to the incident solar
heat is lost to the atmosphere by convection and energy over a particular time period:
radiation heat transfer. The rate of heat loss (Qo)
depends on the collector overall heat transfer
coefficient (UL) and the collector temperature.

Qo = UL A (Tc-Ta) (3)

Thus, the rate of useful energy extracted by the

collector (Qu), expressed as a rate of extraction
under steady state conditions, is proportional to
the rate of useful energy absorbed by the
collector, less the amount lost by the collector
The instantaneous thermal efficiency of the
to its surroundings.1 This is expressed as collector is:
follows:
Qu = I ( ) A - UL A (Tc-Ta) (4)
It is also known that the rate of extraction of
heat from the collector may be measured by
means of the amount of heat carried away in
the fluid passed through it, that is:
Qu = mCp ( Ti- To) (5)
Equation 4 proves to be somewhat
inconvenient because of the difficulty in
defining the collector average temperature. It is 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
convenient to define a quantity that relates the
actual useful energy gain of a collector to the
useful gain if the whole collector surface were If it is assumed that FR, , , UL [9] are constants
at the fluid inlet temperature. This quantity is for a given collector and flow rate, then the
known as the collector heat removal factor efficiency is a linear function of the three
(FR) and is expressed as: parameters defining the operating condition:
Solar irradiance (I), Fluid inlet temperature (Ti)
and Ambient air temperature (Ta).
FR = mCp ( Ti- To)/ A[I ( ) - UL (Ti-Ta)] (6)
In practice, UL is not a constant as heat losses
The maximum possible useful energy gain in a will increase as the temperature of the collector
solar collector occurs when the whole collector rises further above ambient temperature (thermal
is at the inlet fluid temperature. The actual conductivity of materials varies with
useful energy gain (Qu), is found by multiplying temperature) [ 9].
the collector heat removal factor (FR) by the
maximum possible useful energy gain. This The results from the plot will be a straight line
allows the rewriting of equation (4): only if conditions are such that FR, UL and ( )
are constants . Thus, the performance of a Flat-
Qu = FR A[ I ( ) A -UL (Tc-Ta)] (7) Plate Collector can be approximated by
measuring these three parameters in
Equation (7) is a widely used relationship for experiments [ 10].
measuring collector energy gain and is generally
The result is a single line (T/I Curve) shown
known as the Hottel- Whillier-Bliss equation.
in Figure 4.
The useful energy gain depends strongly on the
energy losses from the top surface of the
collector both due to convective and radiative
heat transfer processes. The losses from the

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Vol.7 Issue.5 Page:01-05
ISSN: 0975-5662, Dec, 2015 www.ijrct.org

[1] Ranjith kumar.K et.al,Design and Thermal

Analysis of Solar Plate Collector with and
Without Porous medium, International
Journal of Innovative Research in Science
Engineering and Technology, Volume 4,
Special Issue 2, February 2015.
[2] Ranjitha P et al, Numerical Analysis of
Flat Plate Collector for Circular Pipe
Configuration by using CFD, International
Journal of Engineering Research &
Technology (IJERT),Vol. 2 Issue 12,
December - 2013 .
[3] Kargarsharifabad.H et.al, Exergy Analysis
of a Flat Plate Solar Collector in
Combination with Heat Pipe, Int. J.
Environ. Res., 8(1):39-48,Winter 2014,ISSN:
1735-6865.
[4] Z.Said et al, Exergy efficiency analysis of a
flat plate solar collector using graphene
The collector efficiency is plotted against (Ti based nanofluid, International Conference
Ta )/I. The slope of this line (- FR UL) represents on Advanced Materials (ICAM 2015), IOP
Publishing,IOP Conf. Series: Materials
the rate of heat loss from the collector. For Science and Engineering 92 (2015) 012015,
example, collectors with cover sheets will have doi:10.1088/1757-899X/92/1/012015.
less of a slope than those without cover sheets. [5] Sunil. K. Amrutkar et al,Solar Flat Plate
There are two interesting operating points on Collector Analysis,IOSR Journal of
Figure 4. Engineering, ISSN : 2250-3021, Vol. 2 Issue
2, Feb.2012, pp.207-213 .
[6] BAA Yousef et al, Performance analysis for
1) The first is the maximum collection efficiency, flat plate collector with and without porous
called the optical efficiency. This occurs when media, Journal of Energy in Southern
the fluid inlet temperature equals ambient Africa, Vol.19 No.4,November 2008, pp 32-
temperature (Ti= Ta). For this condition, the T/I 42.
value is zero and the intercept is FR( ). [7] E. Ekramian et al,Numerical Analysis of
Heat Transfer Performance of Flat Plate
Solar Collectors,Avestia Publishing Journal
2) The other point of interest is the intercept with of Fluid Flow, Heat and Mass Transfer,
the T/I axis. This point of operation can be Volume1,Year2014Journal ISSN:2368-
reached when useful energy is no longer 6111,DOI:10.11159/jffhmt.2014.006.
removed from the collector, a condition that can [8] Shepherd,D.W., Energy Studies,2nd
happen if fluid flow through the collector stops edition,Imperial College, London, UK,2003.
(power failure). In this case, the optical energy [9] Cooper, P.I.; Dunkle, R.V., 1981, A non-
linear flat-plate collector model, Solar
coming in must equal the heat loss, requiring that Energy,Vol. 26, Issue 2 pp. 133-140.
the temperature of the absorber increase until [10] http://www.builditsolar.com/References/
this balance occurs. This maximum temperature Measurements/CollectorPerformance.htm#
difference or stagnation temperature is defined Efficiency
by this point. For well-insulated collectors or
concentrating collectors the stagnation
temperature can reach very high levels causing
fluid boiling and, in the case of concentrating
collectors, the absorber surface can melt.

CONCLUSION
A method to describe the thermal performance of
a Flat Plate Solar collector has been presented.
The collector efficiency is an important
parameter. A detailed analysis shows the fact,
that the overall heat loss coefficient (UL), heat
removal factor (FR) and other factors are not
constant values.

REFERENCES

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