There are two types of collector connection to the solar circulation system. Either the heat exchanger extends directly into the manifold ("wet connection") or it is connected to the manifold by a heat-conducting material ("dry connection"). A "dry connection" allows to exchange individual tubes without emptying the entire system of its fluid.
The radiation from the sun is concentrated by a concave mirror or lens and is then converted into the required heat energy. Concentrating solar collectors have high tendency to achieve optimal thermal efficiency, due to its ability to track the direction of sunlight .
Some common uses of solar collectors are: Heating systems. Heating pool water. Electricity production in large solar thermal power plants. Solar thermal collectors work based on the principle of absorbing solar energy. Although there are different types of solar collectors, as we will see later, the operating principle is similar in all of them.
Solar thermal collectors work based on the principle of absorbing solar energy. Although there are different types of solar collectors, as we will see later, the operating principle is similar in all of them. First, solar radiation strikes an absorbing surface which converts radiant energy into thermal energy.
In a flat solar collector, the absorber plate is exposed to the sun and is heated by absorbing solar radiation. The heat transfer fluid, which circulates through tubes on the back of the plate, absorbs the heat from the plate. The hot fluid is transported to the storage system so that it can be used when required to heat water or air.
There are two basic types of solar collectors: concentrating and non-concentrating. Concentrating solar collectors are smart technologies that use concave sun-reflecting surfaces to capture and concentrate solar beams radiated by the sun onto a small receiving area, thereby bringing about a high radiation flux , .