Abstract
The flat-plate solar collector is essentially a heat exchanger in which the radiant energy of the Sun is converted to low-grade thermal energy. The concept is not new as some of the earliest recorded examples of the use of flat-plate collectors occurred around a hundred years ago [4.1, 4.2]. The thermal energy obtained in the conversion process is manifest as an enthalpy increase of the fluid that is flowing through the collector, which may be either liquid or gas. Most flat-plate collectors are used for heating water although collectors for heating air are used in direct warm-air space-heating applications. In some early installations the enthalpy increase resulted in the boiling of a liquid, either for the purpose of producing mechanical shaft work [4.3] or for pumping water [4.4].
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© 1984 J. R. Simonson
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Simonson, J.R. (1984). Flat-Plate Collector Analysis. In: Computing Methods in Solar Heating Design. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-06296-6_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-06296-6_4
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
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