Flat-Plate Thermal Collectors
The function of a solar collector is to intercept income insulation and change it into a useable form of energy that can be applied to meet a specific demand.
Flat-plate thermal solar energy collectors are the most commonly used type of solar collector. Their construction and operation are simple. A large plate of blackened material is oriented in such a manner that the solar energy that fall on the plate is absorbed and converted to thermal energy thereby heating the plate. Tubes or ducting are provided to remove heat from the plate, transferring it liquid or gas, and carry it away to load. One (or more) transparent (glass or plastic) plate are often placed in front of absorb plate to reduce heat loss to the atmosphere. Likewise, opaque insulation is placed around the backside of the absorber plate for the same purpose. Operating temperature up to 125○C is typical.
Flat-plate collector have the advantage of absorbing not only the energy coming directly from the disc of the sun (beam normal insulation) but the solar energy that has been diffused into the sky and that is reflected from the ground. Flat-plate thermal collector are seldom tracked to follow the sun daily path across the sky; however their fixed mounting usually provide a tilt toward the south to minimize the angle between the sun's rays and the surface at noontime. Tilting flat-plat collectors toward the south provider a higher rate of energy at noontime and more total energy over the entire day.
Flat-plate Photovoltaic Collectors
Flat-plate photovoltaic collectors contain an array of individual photovoltaic cells, connected in a series/parallel circuit, and encapsulated within a sandwich structure with the front surface being glass or plastic. Solar energy falls directly upon the photovoltaic cell front surface and produces a small direct current voltage, providing electricity to a load. Unlike thermal collector however, the backside of the panel is not insulated. Photovoltaic panel need to loose as much as heat as possible to the atmosphere to optimize their performance.
Like flat-plate thermal collector (panels) absorb both energy coming directly from the sun's disc and diffuse and reflected energy coming from other directions. In general, flat-plate photovoltaic panels are mounted in a fixed position and tilted toward the south to optimize noontime and daily energy production. However, it is common to see flat-plate photovoltaic panels mounted on mechanisms that track the sun about one tilted axis, thereby increasing the output of the panels.
The function of a solar collector is to intercept income insulation and change it into a useable form of energy that can be applied to meet a specific demand.
Flat-plate thermal solar energy collectors are the most commonly used type of solar collector. Their construction and operation are simple. A large plate of blackened material is oriented in such a manner that the solar energy that fall on the plate is absorbed and converted to thermal energy thereby heating the plate. Tubes or ducting are provided to remove heat from the plate, transferring it liquid or gas, and carry it away to load. One (or more) transparent (glass or plastic) plate are often placed in front of absorb plate to reduce heat loss to the atmosphere. Likewise, opaque insulation is placed around the backside of the absorber plate for the same purpose. Operating temperature up to 125○C is typical.
Flat-plate collector have the advantage of absorbing not only the energy coming directly from the disc of the sun (beam normal insulation) but the solar energy that has been diffused into the sky and that is reflected from the ground. Flat-plate thermal collector are seldom tracked to follow the sun daily path across the sky; however their fixed mounting usually provide a tilt toward the south to minimize the angle between the sun's rays and the surface at noontime. Tilting flat-plat collectors toward the south provider a higher rate of energy at noontime and more total energy over the entire day.
Flat-plate Photovoltaic Collectors
Flat-plate photovoltaic collectors contain an array of individual photovoltaic cells, connected in a series/parallel circuit, and encapsulated within a sandwich structure with the front surface being glass or plastic. Solar energy falls directly upon the photovoltaic cell front surface and produces a small direct current voltage, providing electricity to a load. Unlike thermal collector however, the backside of the panel is not insulated. Photovoltaic panel need to loose as much as heat as possible to the atmosphere to optimize their performance.
Like flat-plate thermal collector (panels) absorb both energy coming directly from the sun's disc and diffuse and reflected energy coming from other directions. In general, flat-plate photovoltaic panels are mounted in a fixed position and tilted toward the south to optimize noontime and daily energy production. However, it is common to see flat-plate photovoltaic panels mounted on mechanisms that track the sun about one tilted axis, thereby increasing the output of the panels.
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