A Numerical Study on the Performance of an Open-type Flat-plate Solar Collector

A set mathematical models was developed for predicting the performance of an open-type flat-plate solar collector, and solved numerically through an implicit difference method. The effects of various parameters on the absorption of solar energy for the collector were investigated. The results showed that the solar energy absorptance of the open-type flat-plate collector was relatively high especially for the region where the weather was humid and hot, and there were an optimum length and an optimum tilt angle for the absorbing plate on which the collector could obtain the highest solar energy absorptance. It was found that the latent heat flux of water evaporation could be 5 to 15 times larger than the sensible heat flux. The effects of the magnitude of the solar incident flux, the atmospheric humidity, the atmospheric temperature, the absorbing plate tilt angle, and water film thickness on the temperature rising of the water film were clarified in numerical quantities. The increase of the solar incident flux, the atmospheric humidity or the atmospheric temperature also resulted in a rise in the energy absorptance of the collector.