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Optimum tilt angle for a flat plate solar collector

1988; Elsevier BV; Volume: 28; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0196-8904(88)90044-1

1879-2227

G.R. Saraf, Faik Hamad,

Photovoltaic System Optimization Techniques

One of the important parameters that affects the performance of a flat plate solar collector is its angle of tilt with the horizontal. This is due to the fact that the variation of tilt angle changes the top loss coefficient and the amount of solar radiation reaching the absorber plate. A mathematical model has been developed for calculating the useful energy gained by a flat plate collector under various operating conditions. The model is then used to determine the optimum tilt angles for a typical collector in Basrah on a daily basis, as well as on the basis of a specified period. The optimum tilt angle is found by searching its value for which the useful energy gained by the collector is a maximum for a particular day or a specified period. From the results, it is observed that changing the tilt angle eight times in a year determines the useful energy in Basrah near its value which is found by changing the tilt angle daily to its optimum value. Furthermore, the influence of various operating parameters is studied on the daily optimum tilt angle.