KERALA GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

WESTHILL, KOZHIKODE

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING

2023-2024
SEMINAR REPORT
On
SOLAR ENERGY UTILIZATION
EFFICIENCY OF FLAT PLATE SOLAR
COLLECTOR

Submitted by,

MUHAMMED ANAS P P
 REG NO: 2101031331

KERALA GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

WESTHILL, KOZHIKODE

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS

ENGINEERING 2023-24

Certificate
This is to certify that this is the report of seminar titled SOLAR ENERGY
UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY OF FLAT PLATE SOLAR COLLECTOR
Submitted by MUHAMMED ANAS PP .Reg no: 210103133 .During the
academic year 2022-23 in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of
diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the board of technical
Education, Government of Kerala at Kerala Government Polytechnic College,
Kozhikode.

Head of Department Seminar co-ordinator

Sri. UNNIKRISHNAN P Sri.UNNIKRISHNAN P

EXTERNAL EXAMINER. INTERNAL EXAMINER

PLACE :- WESTHILL
DATE :-
KERALA GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE
KOZHIKODE - 5

INSTITUTION VISION AND MISSION

VISION:
“To be the best technical hub in the country, creating technicians of national
standards with excellent skills, knowledge and social commitments”

MISSION:

• To provide an excellent foundation for acquiring technical knowledge by

imparting quality education.
• To create congenial academic ambience that stimulates innovative
thinking.
• To equip the students with employability skills.
• To develop integrity through conduct, character, discipline and high value
system to meet the needs of industry and society
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS
ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT VISION AND MISSION

VISION:

"Be a center of excellence in Electrical and Electronics Engineering for the

sustainable development of the society"

MISSION:

• To provide quality technical skills to enter the labor market with

confidence.

• Transform knowledge to work for the socio-economic development.

• To meet the challenges in the field of Electrical and Electronics

Engineering through innovations and entrepreneurial programs.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

For me this is the opportunity to express thanks to all who have co-
operated with me to take my Seminar as success. First of all, it is to
respected Principal, Mr. SURESH KUMAR J S and Mr.
UNNIKRISHNAN P HOD, Dept. of Electrical and Electronics
Engineering for their kind permission.
I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr.UNNIKRISHNAN P
HOD, Dept.of electrical and electronics engineering and seminar co-
ordinator Mr.UNNIKRISHNAN P lecturer in Dept. Of electrical and
electronics engineering for their valuable support and guidance. and all
other staff members of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Department who have been source of inspiration to me. I express my
sincere thanks to all friends who co-operated with me for presenting this
seminar report
 DECLARATION

I declare that this seminar report titled “ SOLAR ENERGY UTILIZATION

EFFICIENCY OF FLAT PLATE SOLAR COLLECTOR” For the
fulfilment of the requirement for the award of diploma in electrical and
Electronics engineering under the department of technical education is a record
Work carried out by me under the supervision of Sri. UNNIKRISHNAN P,
Head of The Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and
Sri.UNNIKRISHNAN P seminar co-ordinator and lucturer in electrical and
electronics engineering and it has not formed The basis for the award of any
other degree, diploma, or other titles in this or Any other university or other
institution of Higher Learning.

Place: Kozhikode MUHAMMED ANAS PP

Date:
 TABLE OF CONTENT

SL NO CONTENTS PAGE NO

1 ABSTRACT 01

2 INTRODUCTION 02

3 OPERATING CONDITIONS 03

4 SOLAR RADIATION INTENSITY 04

5 ANGLE OF COLLECTER 05

CONNECTIONS OF AUXILLIARY
6 06
HEAT DEVICE

7 IMPACT OF SOLAR IRRADIATION 07

IMPACT OF WATER
8 08
TEMPERATURE

9 CONCLUSION 09

10 REFERENCE 10-13
 1.ABSTRACT

For the last 20 years, solar collectors have been developing rapidly in the use of
energy in buildings. Under experimental conditions, the solar energy utilization
efficiency (SEUE) of flat plate solar collectors (FPSC) can reach more than
80%, but the engineering application of SEUE is low, and even the collector
heating cannot meet the design requirements. In this paper, based on the
existing thermal performance of FPSC, the influence of ambient mete-
orological parameters and hot water system operation parameters on SEUE is
studied using experimental tests and analytical calculations. The results
reflected that the collectors connected to the auxiliary heaters will affect SEUE,
with series-connected systems having greater SEUE than parallel-connected
systems. When the solar radiation intensity was low, the SEUE of parallel-
connected systems was more likely to be negative. Under calculated conditions,
when the water inlet temperature was 20, 30, 40, and 50 °C, the SEUE of the
collector was 0%, and the corresponding solar radiation intensity was 113, 184,
225, and 328 W/m2, respectively. Reducing the average water temperature of
the col- lector can reduce the heat loss in the energy conversion process
between the collector and the air and increase the SEUE. When the solar
radiation intensity was 500 W/m2, the collector inlet temperature decreases
from 50 °C to 30 °C, and the SEUE increased from 20.9% to 38.5%. The
research results can provide a parameter basis for the design of the FPSC
system, especially the connection mode of collector and auxiliary heat device,
and the design of system water temperature.

1
 2.INTRODUCTION

Flat plate solar collectors are devices that convert solar power into thermal
energy.They are used to heat water or air in buildings and are the most common
type of non-concentrating collectors for water and space heating in
buildings.The collectors are made up of three main components: a flat metal
plate that intercepts and absorbs solar energy, a transparent cover that allows
solar energy to pass through the cover and reduces heat loss from the absorber,
and a layer of insulation on the back of the absorber to reduce heat loss.Some
advantages of flat plate collectors are that they are easy to manufacture, low
cost, and collect both beam and diffuse radiation.The plate-channel assembly
may use a variety of methods of component attachment, such as thermal
cement, solder, clips, clamps, brazing, or mechanical pressure applicators.Sizing
a solar flat plate collector for use in a solar hot water or heating system depends
upon the hot water demand.

2
 3.OPERATING CONDITIONS

Flat plate collectors normally operate and reach maximum efficiency within the
temperature range of 30 to 80°C.The efficiency of a solar flat plate collector
depends on factors such as the material used, the size of the collector, and the
operating conditions.The convective heat loss leads to a decrease in the solar
energy utilization efficiency (SEUE) of flat plate solar collectors (FPSC).The
collector is operating under quasi-steady operating and environmental
conditions and measurements of mass flow rate and temperature rise across the
collector are taken.The solar energy utilization efficiency (SEUE) of flat plate
solar collectors (FPSC) can reach more than 80% under experimental
conditions.The engineering application of SEUE is low, and even the collector
heating cannot meet the design requirements.
In summary, the operating conditions of a flat plate solar collector are important
to consider when evaluating its efficiency. The collector should be operating
under quasi-steady operating and environmental conditions, and the optimal tilt
of the collector plate should be close to the latitude of the location. The
efficiency of the collector depends on various factors, including the material
used, the size of the collector, and the operating conditions.

3
4
 4.SOLAR RADIATION INTENSITY

The solar energy utilization efficiency (SEUE) of flat plate solar collectors
(FPSC) can reach more than 80% under experimental conditions.The efficiency
of a solar flat plate collector depends on factors such as the material used, the
size of the collector, and the operating conditions.Studies in the northern
hemisphere, at latitudes between 40 and 60°, have evaluated the performance of
solar flat plate collectors and efficiency averaging between 35 and 40% was
recorded.When the solar radiation intensity was 500 W/m2, the collector inlet
temperature decreases from 50 °C to 30 °C, and the SEUE increased from
20.9% to 30.7%.The Sun heats a dark flat surface, which collects as much
energy as possible, and then the energy is transferred to water, air, or other fluid
for further use.The glazing cover of a flat plate collector is a transparent layer
that transmits radiation to the absorber but prevents radiative and convective
heat loss from the surface.The black surface of the absorber is the absorbent of
the incident solar energy.

5
 5.ANGLE OF COLLECTOR

The optimal tilt angle for a flat plate solar collector is found by searching for the
value for which the useful energy gained by the collector is a maximum for a
particular day or a specified period.The rule of thumb when calculating the
angle of a solar collector is to make the angle of inclination equal to the
location's degree of latitude, which will produce the best overall annual heat
output.However, this may produce too much excess heat in the summer and not
enough heat in the winter.Panels inclined at an angle of 5˚ and facing south
azimuth perform optimally.The inclination angle strongly affects the
performance of the collector, and too high an inclination angle is not
recommended for a solar collector.The angle of inclination and azimuth do
affect output, but this is not anywhere as critical as it is with photovoltaic (PV)
panels.
The angle of a flat plate solar collector is an important factor in its efficiency.
The rule of thumb is to make the angle of inclination equal to the location's
degree of latitude, but this may not always produce the best results. The optimal
tilt angle can be found by searching for the value for which the useful energy
gained by the collector is a maximum for a particular day or a specified period.

6
 6.CONNECTIONS OF AUXILLIARY HEAT
DEVICES

An auxiliary heater can be used for heating when the temperature of the water
outgoing from the storage to the user is lower than the demand temperature
required.The collector can be connected in parallel with the auxiliary heat
device, and the inlet and outlet water temperature of the collector is generally
the supply and return water temperature of the system.The water flow of the
collector can be changed to maintain inlet and outlet water temperature when
solar irradiation changes.The temperature difference between supply and return
water can be 10 °C.The collector can also be connected in series with the
auxiliary heat device, and the water flow value can be maintained
constant.When solar irradiation changes, the inlet and outlet water temperature
difference of the collector will be changed.The thermal performance of the
collector changes with the change of inlet water temperature.A typical solar
water heating system consists of solar collectors, a storage tank, and an
auxiliary heater.Flat-plate collectors supply heat at generally low temperatures
up to about a maximum temperature of 90°C, and typically at a mean
temperature of 70°C.Investigation of a novel space heating scheme based on
evacuated flat-plate solar collector and virtual energy storage has been done.A
thermosyphon solar water heater with a flat plate has been used for space
heating.

7
 7.IMPACT OF SOLAR IRRADIATION

Solar irradiation has a significant impact on the efficiency of flat plate solar
collectors(FPSC).The following are the impacts of solar irradiation on the
efficiency of flat plate solar collectors:
 The energy efficiency of FPSC has been found to increase with increasing
solar irradiance.
 The energy efficiency of FPSC has been found to decrease with rising solar
irradiance.
 The overall efficiency of the flat plate solar collector can be increased
approximately 10% by using a reflector with the collector.
 The low efficiency of solar collectors is due mainly to the convection loss.
 The flat-plate systems normally operate and reach the maximum efficiency
within the temperature range from 30 to 80°C
Under low solar irradiation, the higher the water supply temperature of the
collector, the easier it is to dissipate the heat of the system into the environment.
The addition of reflectors enhances the radiation received by the collector, and
reflected beam radiation is the major contributor to the enhancement.An
increase in solar radiation leads to an increase in output current, which enhances
the efficiency (performance) of a solar panel.The efficiency of solar radiation
conversion into electricity is reduced as solar radiation intensity and ambient
temperature increase.The accurate forecasting of solar radiation aids in reducing
the uncertainty in the grid, enhancing system dependability, maintaining power.

8
 8.IMPACT OF WATER TEMPERATURE

The energy efficiency of Flat Plate Solar Collector has been found to increase
with increasing water temperature.The performance of a heat pump powered by
solar energy can be improved by raising the convective heat transfer.The
efficiency of solar panels is negatively affected by temperature increasing.For
every degree Celsius above 25°C (77°F), a solar panel’s efficiency typically
declines by 0.3% to 0.5%.In hot environments, PV panels tend to be less
efficient due to the negative impact of high temperatures on the performance of
PV cells.Lower temperatures lead to increased output voltage, boosting overall
power generation.Water temperature has an impact on the efficiency of solar
energy utilization in FPSC. The energy efficiency of FPSC has been found to
increase with increasing water temperature. The performance of a heat pump
powered by solar energy can also be improved by raising the convective heat
transfer. However, high temperatures negatively affect the efficiency of solar
panels, and lower temperatures lead to increased output voltage, boosting
overall power generation.

9
10
 9.CONCLUSION

Solar irradiation has a significant impact on the Solar Energy Utilization

Efficiency of Flat Plate Solar Collector. The energy efficiency of FPSC has
been found to increase with increasing solar irradiance, while the energy
efficiency has been found to decrease with rising solar irradiance.Water
temperature also impacts the efficiency of solar energy utilization in Flat Plate
Solar Collector. The energy efficiency of FPSC has been found to increase with
increasing water temperature.
The efficiency of solar panels is negatively affected by temperature increasing.
For every degree Celsius above 25°C (77°F), a solar panel’s efficiency typically
declines by 0.3% to 0.5%.The accurate forecasting of solar radiation aids in
reducing the uncertainty in the grid, enhancing system dependability,
maintaining power.To improve the SEUE of FPSC, methods such as using
reflectors, choosing the right materials, and reducing convection loss can be
used.
In conclusion, the efficiency of solar energy utilization in FPSC is impacted by
various factors, including solar irradiation, water temperature, and the choice of
materials. To improve the efficiency of FPSC, it is important to consider these
factors and use appropriate methods to optimize the system.

11
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