An effective simulation model to predict and optimize the performance of single and double glaze flat-plate solar collector designs

This paper outlines and formulates a compact and effective simulation model, which predicts the performance of single and double glaze flat-plate collector. The model uses an elaborated iterative simulation algorithm and provides the collector top losses, the glass covers temperatures, the collector absorber temperature, the collector fluid outlet temperature, the system efficiency, and the thermal gain for any operational and environmental conditions. It is a numerical approach based on simultaneous guesses for the three temperatures, Tp plate collector temperature and the temperatures of the two glass covers T_g1, T_g2. A set of energy balance equations is developed which allows for structured iteration modes whose results converge very fast and provide the values of any quantity which concerns the steady state performance profile of any flat-plate collector design. Comparison of the results obtained by this model for flat-plate collectors, single or double glaze, with those obtained by using the Klein formula, as well as the results provided by other researchers, is presented.