Optimization of operational and design parameters of plane reflector-tilted flat plate solar collector systems

Due to the increased interest in the utilization of solar energy, it is essential to enhance the energy collection of solar energy devices. In this paper, a theoretical analysis of the instantaneous, daily, and yearly enhancement in solar energy collection of a tilted flat-plate solar collector augmented by a plane reflector is developed. The shadow effect due to the reflector on the collector is considered in the analysis. A FORTRAN computer program has been constructed based on the analysis in order to study the effect of different operational and design parameters of plane reflector-tilted flat-plate solar collector system on the collector solar energy collection. These parameters include collector-reflector system orientation and tilt angles, collector elongation ratio, and reflector overhang ratio.