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2.3 - Solar Collector Calculations

This document provides calculations for heat transfer in flat plate solar collectors. It discusses: 1) Convection between parallel plates using Nusselt number correlations. 2) Radiation heat transfer between plates and covers. 3) Radiation heat transfer from covers to the sky. 4) Calculating overall U-value for single cover collectors. 5) Relating plate/cover temperatures using thermal resistances. It includes two examples calculating heat transfer coefficients.

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294 views11 pages

2.3 - Solar Collector Calculations

This document provides calculations for heat transfer in flat plate solar collectors. It discusses: 1) Convection between parallel plates using Nusselt number correlations. 2) Radiation heat transfer between plates and covers. 3) Radiation heat transfer from covers to the sky. 4) Calculating overall U-value for single cover collectors. 5) Relating plate/cover temperatures using thermal resistances. It includes two examples calculating heat transfer coefficients.

Uploaded by

HEI532532
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

(c)

Thermal network for a


two cover flat-plate
collector
a) In terms of individual
conduction, convention and
radiation resistances;
b) in terms of resistances between
plates;
c) Equitant thermal network
Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

1) Cover-to-cover/plate convention
Natural ventilation between two parallel plates in flat plate solar
collector (i.e. absorber surface to cover):
+
1708ሺ𝑠𝑖𝑛(1.8𝛽)ሻ1.6 1708 +
𝑅𝑎 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 1/3
𝑁𝑢 = 1 + 1.44 ቈ1 − ቉൤1 − ൨ + ቈ൬ ൰ − 1቉
𝑅𝑎 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 𝑅𝑎 × 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 5830

Where the meaning of the + exponent is that only positive values of the terms in
the square brackets are to the used (i.e. Use zero if the term is negative).

1 3
Gr  g   '   L   T 
2

Go to Example 1:
Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

Example 1:

Find the convection heat transfer coefficient between two


parallel plates separated by 25 mm with a 45 Deg tilt. The
lower plate is at 70 DegC and the upper is at 50 DegC

Note: air properties can be found online calculation.


Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

2) Plate-to-cover radiation
Radiation heat transfer coefficient between plate and cover,

Therefore, thermal resistance between cover and plate is


Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

3) Cover-to-Sky radiation
Radiation heat transfer coefficient between cover and sky,

Therefore, thermal resistance between cover and sky is

Where, hw needs to be calculated or given.


Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

4) Overall U-value (top) for a single cover flat plate

For this single cover system, the top loss coefficient from the
collector plate to the ambient is
Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

5) Temperature relationship
For any two adjacent covers or plate, the new temperature of plate or
cover j can be expressed in terms of the temperature of plate or cover i
as:

Go to Example 2:
Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

Example 2:

Calculate the top loss coefficient for an absorber with a


single glass cover having the following specification:

Plate-to-cover spacing 25mm


Plate emittance 0.95
Ambient air and sky temperature 100 C
Wind heat transfer coefficient 10 W/m2C
Mean plate temperature 1000 C
Collector tilt 450
Glass emittance 0.88

Note: air properties can be found online calculation.


Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

6) An empirical equation for Ut by Klein (1979):


Calculation on Flat Plate Solar Collector

Redo Example 2:

Calculate the top loss coefficient for an absorber with a


single glass cover having the following specification:

Plate-to-cover spacing 25mm


Plate emittance 0.95
Ambient air and sky temperature 100 C
Wind heat transfer coefficient 10 W/m2C
Mean plate temperature 1000 C
Collector tilt 450
Glass emittance 0.88

Note: air properties can be found online calculation.

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