Report compares efficiencies of 23 solar collectors for four different purposes: operating a Rankine-cycle engine, heating or absorption air conditioning, heating hot water, and heating a swimming pool

Simon, F. F.

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100 
SOLAR ENERGY COLLECTOR ASSEMBLY 
September 1975	 1 B75-10189 
S	 NASA TECH BRIEF 
Lewis Research Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce now technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Comparative Performance of Twenty-Three 
Types of Flat Plate Solar Energy Collectors 
0
To aid in the development of alternate energy sources, 
NASA's Lewis Research Center is exploring the use of 
solar energy for heating and cooling buildings. An 
important part of this effort is investigating the potential 
of flat plate solar energy collectors to convert solar energy 
into heat. Flat plate solar energy collectors are essentially 
black-colored metal panels which absorb heat from the 
sun and transmit the absorbed heat to a working fluid. A 
transparent glass or plastic cover encloses a dead-air space 
or a vacuum to limit re-radiation from the panel (see 
figure). 
Various designs of flat plate collector have been tested 
and evaluated under simulated (indoor) and actual 
(outdoor) conditions. The performances of twenty-three 
types of collector tested under simulated conditions have 
been published in a recent report (Note 1). From the test
data, efficiencies of these collectors have been determined 
for four different purposes: operating a Rankine-cycle 
engine (working fluid at 388 K (240°F)); heating (322 K 
(120°F)) or absorption air-conditioning (366 K (200°F)); 
heating hot water (333 K (140°17)); and heating a 
swimming pool (300 K (80°F)). The efficiencies were also 
determined for a noon-hour and an all-day basis for the 
above four conditions. 
The twenty-three types of collector tested included 
various combinations of copper, aluminum and steel 
panels, coated with flat black paint, copper oxide, black 
chrome, black nickel or chemically etched and all covered 
with glass, plastic or anti-reflection glass covers. Some 
collectors contained a plastic honeycomb placed between 
the panel and cover to channel the sunlight and reduce 
heat loss. 
The results showed a wide range of performance 
efficiencies for the purposes for which the collectors were 
tested. The NASA/Honeywell collector (#22) had the 
highest efficiency of any collector tested for the purposes 
of a Rankine-cycle engine, heating or absorption air-
conditioning a building and heating hot water. The 
NASA/Honeywell collector (#22) was designed using two 
anti-reflection glasses and black nickel as a solar selective 
coating. Another NASA/Honeywell designed collector 
(#8) had the highest efficiency for the purpose of heating 
swimming pools. Collector #8 was designed using black 
paint as a coating and a single glass as a cover. 
The tests were performed in an indoor solar simulator 
facility which closely simulates the average North 
American sunlight and enables tests to be conducted 
under controlled and repeatable conditions. The simulator 
was designed and built by the NASA Lewis Research 
Center. 
Notes: 
1. Further information is available in the following 
report: 
NASA TM-X-71793 (N75 .32591), Flat-Plate Solar 
Collector Performance Evaluation with a Solar 
Simulator as a Basis for Collector Selection and 
Performance Prediction
(Continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
	
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19750000189 2020-03-19T20:28:19+00:00Z
Copies may be obtained at cost from: 
Technology Application Center 
University of New Mexico 
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 
Telephone: 505-277-3622 
Reference: B75-10189 
2. Specific technical questions may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B75-10189 
3. The solar simulator used in these tests was announced 
previously in NASA Tech Brief 74-10086. Further 
details have been published in the following report: 
NASA TM-X.3059 (N74-27719), Low-Cost, Air 
Mass 2 Solar Simulator 
Copies may also be obtained from the Technology 
Application Center (address above). 
Patent Status: 
NASA has decided not to apply for a patent. 
Source: F.F. Simon

Lewis Research Center 
(LEW-125 11)
. 
. 
n 
B75-10189	 Category 03


Comparative performance of twenty-three types of flat plate solar energy collectors

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