Solar air heater is a type of heat exchanger which transforms solar radiation into heat energy. The thermal performance of conventional solar air heater has been found to be poor because of the low convective heat transfer coefficient from the absorber plate to the air. It is attributed to the formation of a very thin boundary layer at the absorber plate surface commonly known as viscous sub-la...

In this paper we present a prototype for a new type of solar thermal collector designed for architectural integration. In this proposal, the conventional geometry of a flat solar thermal collector is changed to a curved geometry, to improve its visual impact when mounted on a building facade or roof. The mathematical equations for the beam and diffuse solar radiation received by a collector wit...

Parabolic trough solar technology is the most proven and lowest cost large-scale solar power technology available today, primarily because of the nine large commercial-scale solar power plants that are operating in the California Mojave Desert. However, no new plants have been built during the past ten years because the cost of power from these plants is more expensive than power from conventio...

Solar Energy Applications Laboratory , Colorado State University . Fort Collins , CO 80523 Design of a vapor transport solar water heater using R-123 is optimized to maximize thermal performance and minimize life cycle cost. Optimal systems for one and twostory homes are identified in a parametric study of collector area, condenser heat transfer area, water storage tank volume and circulating r...

ABSTRACT The use of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) in generating useful power from solar thermal energy is demonstrated. This device represents a portable and autonomous power generation system operating from solar power, capable of powering micro/nano systems. The TEG was integrated with a micro solar thermal collector plate to enhance the thermal radiation absorption capacity of the hot sid...