What is an Evacuated Tube Collector?
An Evacuated Tube Collector (ETC) is a solar thermal collector that uses a succession of vacuum-sealed tubes to gather and store heat from the sun.
This makes them incredibly efficient at capturing solar energy, making them ideal for use in solar hot water and heating systems.
How do Evacuated Tube Collectors Work?
Evacuated Tube Collectors work by using a series of heat pipes that are sealed inside of evacuated (or vacuumed) glass tubes.
The heat pipes are filled with a special heat-conducting fluid, and as the sun heats up the fluid, it is drawn up the heat pipe to the top of the tube.
This heat is then transferred to a water tank or other heat storage system, where it can be used to provide hot water or space heating as needed.
Evacuated Tube Collectors are often used in commercial and industrial solar thermal systems, as they are much more efficient at capturing solar energy than flat plate collectors.
They are also often used in residential solar hot water systems, as they can provide a higher output of hot water than flat plate collectors.
Related: Flat Plate Technology
Evacuated Tube Collector Formula
The laboratory’s curved, glass–metal evacuated-tube solar collectors, which total 524 m2 and have a slope angle of 10°, are installed on the roof.
The collector’s slope angle is 10°. The efficiency equation for the collector’s aperture area is as follows: 0.732 + 2.371 Ti
Types Of Evacuated Tube Collectors
There are three main types of Evacuated Tube Collectors:
- Water-in glass evacuated tube solar collector.
- U-type evacuated tube solar collector.
- Evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector.
Water-in glass evacuated tube solar collector
This type of collector is the most common type of evacuated tube collector.
It uses a heat pipe that is sealed inside of a vacuumed glass tube.
The heat pipe is filled with water, and as the sun heats up the water, it is drawn up the heat pipe to the top of the tube.
This heat is then transferred to a water tank or other heat storage system, where it can be used to provide hot water or space heating as needed.
U-type evacuated tube solar collector
This type of collector is less common than the water-in-glass evacuated tube collector.
It uses a heat pipe that is sealed inside of a vacuumed glass tube.
The heat pipe is filled with a special heat-conducting fluid, and as the sun heats up the fluid, it is drawn up the heat pipe to the top of the tube.
This heat is then transferred to a water tank or other heat storage system, where it can be used to provide hot water or space heating as needed.
Evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector
This type of collector is the least common type of evacuated tube collector.
It uses a heat pipe that is sealed inside of a vacuumed glass tube.
The heat pipe is filled with a special heat-conducting fluid, and as the sun heats up the fluid, it is drawn up the heat pipe to the top of the tube.
This heat is then transferred to a water tank or other heat storage system, where it can be used to provide hot water or space heating as needed.
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Evacuated Tube Collectors
Advantages of evacuated tube collectors
Evacuated Tube Collectors have a number of benefits, including:
- High Efficiency – Evacuated Tube Collectors are very efficient at capturing solar energy, making them ideal for use in solar hot water and heating systems.
- Low Maintenance – Evacuated Tube Collectors require very little maintenance, making them a low-cost option for solar thermal systems.
- Long lifespan – Evacuated Tube Collectors have a long lifespan, often lasting 20 years or more with proper maintenance.
- Decreases the possibility of needlesticks – this removes labeling errors that could occur with traditional solar vacuum tube heat pipes.
Related: How Much Do Solar Panel Systems Cost?
Disadvantages of evacuated tube collectors
There are some disadvantages to using Evacuated Tube Collectors, including:
- High initial cost – Evacuated Tube Collectors can be more expensive than other types of solar thermal collectors, such as flat plate collectors.
- Fragility – Since evacuated tube collectors are composed of glass, they’re more likely to break than other types of solar thermal collectors.
- Snow that clings to the tube does not melt – this can cause the tube to become damaged and inefficient.
FAQs
What are the main components of an evacuated tube collector?
The heat pipes, vacuum glass tubes, and aluminum absorber plates are the main components of an evacuated tube collector.
What is the efficiency of an evacuated tube collector?
The efficiency of the tube collector is 72.8 percent and is often referred to as thermal-optical efficiency.
What are the dimensions of an evacuated tube collector?
The size of a vacuum tube collector is determined by the manufacturer, although it is generally about 2 meters long and 1 meter broad.
How much does an evacuated tube collector cost?
The price of an evacuated tube collector is based on the brand and model, but it can range from £3,000 to £5,000.
Do vertically mounted evacuated tube collectors work?
Although vertically mounted evacuated tube collectors are less efficient than horizontally positioned ones, they may still be utilized to supply hot water or space heating.
Is the manifold necessary for an evacuated tube collector?
The manifold is not necessary for an evacuated tube collector, but it can be used to improve the efficiency of the system.
How long do evacuated tube collectors last?
Evacuated tube collectors typically have a lifespan of 20 years or more with proper maintenance.
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