Solar Collectors

Solar Collectors

Solar collectors are the key component of solar-heating systems. There are several types of solar collectors:

Evacuated tube collectors
Flat plate collectors

Evacuated tube collectors

A vacuum tube collector (Fig. 1) consists of a group of single vacuum tubes linked together to one collector. Built into each tube is a coated absorber made of copper or glass. The vacuum in the glass tubes ensures optimum heat insulation. This allows the collector to make use of diffused radiation too. Reflector s on the backside of the tubes can increase the absorption of solar radiation even further.

Suntrader uses Solamax collectors (Fig. 2) and Schott collectors both of which are approved products by the national Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

Flat plate collectors

The main component of a flat collector (Fig. 3) is a coated copper absorber. It gives high absorption of solar radiation and low emission of thermal radiation. Embedded into the absorber is a copper pipe through which the solar liquid flows. The absorber is surrounded by a highly insulated collector housing made of alloy to minimise heat loss. The cover is made from anti-reflective solar glass.

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