Numerical Simulation on Thermal Performance of Flat Plate Solar Collector with Double Glass Covers

Background and Objectives: In this study, the numerical simulation of the steady-state thermal performance of flat plate solar collector with double glass cover, physical model, validation and its grid independence test were performed with the finite volume method. Moreover, through comparison with the conventional plate heat collector, the effects of ambient temperature, the inlet water temperature, solar radiated intensity and lower glass cover position on thermal performance of the heat collector were investigated. Materials and Methods: For the simulation of FPSC with double glass covers different physical model, geometric and boundary condition were used and also regression analysis was applied on the data. Results: From the investigated results, it was cleared that, when the ambient temperature is below 18EC, the collector with double glass covers shows advantages, while when the ambient temperature is -10EC, the instantaneous efficiency of the flat plate solar collector with double glass covers was noted 0.26 higher than that of the conventional plate heat collector. Similarly, increase in the inlet water temperature and solar radiate intensity both results in an increase in the temperature inside the collector, which enhances the insulation effect of the double glass covers. Conclusion: When the inlet water temperature was 50EC, the instantaneous efficiency difference between the flat-plate solar collector with the double glass covers and the conventional one increases to 0.27. Furthermore, concluded from the results of the experiment that, when the lower glass cover is located 18 mm over the absorber plate and the solar radiated intensity is to be 1000 W mG 2 , the instantaneous efficiency of the flat-plate solar collector with the double glass covers can reach up to 0.678.