Flat Plate Technology (FPC) (ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW)

What is a Flat Plate Collector?

A flat plate collector is a solar thermal collector that contains fluids and captures heat from the sun to be transferred to it.

The most frequent form of glazed flat plate collector is solar water heating, which utilizes this technology.

How does a Flat Plate Collector work?

A flat plate collector captures sunlight using a solar absorber that is placed under a glass or metal cover.

The solar absorber absorbs the sun’s heat and transfers it to a circulating fluid, which then carries the heat to be stored in a tank or used immediately.

The cover prevents heat loss from the collector and also protects the solar absorber from the elements.

Related: Evacuated Tube Collectors

How is a Flat Plate Collector different from other solar collectors?

Flat plate collectors are the most commonly used type of solar collector, and they are well-suited for a variety of applications.

They are typically more efficient than evacuated tube collectors, but less efficient than concentrating solar collectors.

Flat Plate Collector Efficiency Formula

The efficiency of a flat plate collector can be calculated using the following formula:

η = α * η_0 * (1 – ε)

where:

η is the collector efficiency

α is the absorptance of the collector (the fraction of incident sunlight that is absorbed by the collector)

η_0 is the optical efficiency of the collector (the fraction of incident sunlight that is absorbed and not reflected)

ε is the emittance of the collector (the fraction of heat that is lost by radiation)

The absorptance, optical efficiency, and emittance of a flat plate collector are all affected by the materials used in the collector.

Types Of Flat Plate Collector

There are two main types of flat plate collectors:

• Liquid Heating Collectors
• Air or gas heating collectors

Liquid Heating Collectors

Liquid heating collectors are the most common type of flat plate collector. They are used in solar water heating systems, as well as in space heating and cooling systems.

Air or gas Heating Collectors

Air or gas heating collectors are less common than liquid heating collectors. They are used in solar air conditioning and ventilation systems.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Flat Plate Collectors

Advantages of flat plate collectors

The main advantage of flat plate collectors are:

• They are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
• They are also less susceptible to freezing than evacuated tube collectors.

They are relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture

The manufacturing process of flat plate collectors is relatively simple and does not require high-precision equipment.

This makes them less expensive to manufacture than other types of solar collectors.

They are also less susceptible to freezing than evacuated tube collectors

Flat plate collectors are less likely to freeze than evacuated tube collectors because they do not contain a vacuum.

This means that they can still function even if the temperature drops below freezing.

Disadvantages of flat plate collectors

The main disadvantages of flat plate collectors are:

• They are less efficient than evacuated tube collectors and concentrating solar collectors.
• They also require more maintenance than evacuated tube collectors
• They are less efficient than evacuated tube collectors and concentrating solar collectors

They are less efficient than evacuated tube collectors and concentrating solar collectors.

This is a major disadvantage, as it means that flat plate collectors are not as effective at capturing and converting sunlight into heat.

They also require more maintenance than evacuated tube collectors

Flat plate collectors require more maintenance than evacuated tube collectors because they are exposed to the elements.

This means that they are subject to wear and tear, and the solar absorber will eventually need to be replaced.

They are less efficient than evacuated tube collectors and concentrating solar collectors

Efficiency isn’t their strong point, as flat plate collectors are not as effective at capturing and converting sunlight into heat.

They also require more maintenance than evacuated tube collectors.

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