A solar thermal collector collects heat by absorbing sunlight. The term "solar collector" commonly refers to a device for solar hot water heating, but may refer to large power generating installations such as solar parabolic troughs and solar towers or non water heating devices such as solar air heaters.Solar thermal collectors are either non-concentrating or concentrating. In non-concentrating collectors, the aperture area (i.e., the area that receives the solar radiation) is roughly the same as the absorber area (i.e., the area absorbing the radiation). A common example of such a system is a metal plate that is painted a dark color to maximize the absorption of sunlight. The energy is then collected by cooling the plate with a working fluid, often water or glycol running in pipes attached to the plate.
Concentrating collectors have a much larger aperture than the absorber area. The aperture is typically in the form of a mirror that is focussed on the absorber, which in most cases are the pipes carrying the working fluid. Due to the movement of the sun during the day, concentrating collectors often require some form of solar tracking system, and are sometimes referred to "active" collectors for this reason.
Non-concentrating collectors are typically used in residential, industrial and commercial buildings for space heating, while concentrating collectors in concentrated solar power plants generate electricity by heating a heat-transfer fluid to drive a turbine connected to an electrical generator.
Hello there, Physics forum. I live in Alamo, California and I'm planning to install pool solar. All of the installers have completely different POVs on which face of the roof I should put them, and hoping to get some physics-based advice. Here's the home with the 3 face options (front already...
Hello! I am a materials engineering BSc student currently writing my bachelor thesis. The topic of my thesis is regarding the PV/T system and the best material choice for the interface between the glass/glass PV module and the heat mat. I would appreciate any ideas for material with best thermal...
Hello! I am a materials engineering BSc student currently writing my bachelor thesis. The topic of my thesis is regarding the PV/T system and the best material choice for the interface between the glass/glass PV module and the heat mat. I would appreciate any ideas for material with best thermal...
I have a satellite dish converted to a solar collector. It isn't very big, just a small scale prototype at the moment. I have measured just over 300 degrees Celsius at the focus point. I am considering either using a sterling engine or a steam turbine to generate some electricity.
The problem...
Homework Statement
A flat and thin GaAs solar collector of 100 micrometer thickness is irradiated with 100mW of 650nm light (incident normal to the surface). The absorption coefficient is about 10^4 cm^-1 and the bandgap is 1.4 eV. Assume that the GaAs has ~100% internal quantum efficiency...
I am planning a solar collector system for domestic hot water and heating. I am attempting to calculate the heat loss in a storage tank. If we assume:
Tank Volume = 1m^3
Tank Surface Area = 6m^2
Tank Contents = 1000L water
Initial Water Temp = 90C (194F)
The Temp Outside the Tank = 10C...
Homework Statement
A solar collector has an effective collecting area of 12 m^2. The collector is thermally insulated, and so conduction is negligible in comparison with radiation. On a cold but sunny winter's day the temperature outside is -20.0 C, and the Sun irradiates the collector with...
Homework Statement
1m wide solar heat collector that is x long. Find the temperature as a function of x.
500 W/m^2 transferred from the collector to the air within the collector, 100%.
Air enters the collector has the following properties:
cp = 1000 J/(kg*K)
m = 0.02 kg/s...
Homework Statement
We wish to size a flat plate collector to provide water for one hot shower per hour. We have determined that a shower uses 80 liters of 40°C water that has been heated from a 15°C supply line. The receiver temperature must be greater than the desired water temperature of...
also, i am unsure about the units...are the above ones ok? as in the website had these units [ KWh/m^2/ hello everyone!
i know that solar collectors are commonplace in many parts of the world (tho not mine) so this might sound a bit stupid...
anyway, i wanted to make (actually build) a solar...
According to this article, a 12 year old kid has designed a solar cell constructed from nanotubes that greatly exceeds the efficiency of photovoltaic panels.
http://www.goodcleantech.com/2008/09/a_12yearolds_solar_cell_may_re.php
http://a11news.com/231/raw-solar/
First, isn't this dangerous for birds? Secondly, if someone doesn't aim it just right, could it burn down a nearby house/barn?
Hi there,
As part of my A2 physics coursework investigation, i want to calculate the efficiency of an aluminium canister modeled as a solar collector.
The basic set up of the apparatus is:
- Lamp (40W light bulb) at a fixed distance of 5cm away from the aluminium canister (which is...