State-of-the-Art Solar Collectors: Typical Parameters and Trends

Abstract

The paper presents a comparative analysis of design and thermal parameters of various types of solar collectors, including Russian-manufactured ones. It is shown that over the last 15 years, the massdimensional characteristics and thermotechnical excellence of flat-plate solar collectors have remained virtually unchanged, the manufacturing technologies of such collectors have not sufficiently improved, the collectors have reached parameters close to limiting ones. In terms of thermal excellence, Russian-manufactured collectors are highly competitive with foreign models. Evacuated tubular solar collectors currently on the market can be divided into several types, of which the most efficient are U-shaped heat removal pipe Sydneytube collectors. Popular heat pipe Sydney-tube collectors, which are considered promising, are significantly less efficient.