Long term performance of a shaded collector field

A numerical model is presented to estimate the monthly average daily solar radiation absorbed by a collector field, with taking into account the effect of shading of the various collectors on each others. The field consists of NY rows of collectors, spaced uniformly by a distance Δy from each other, and each row contains. NX collectors. Each collector has a length L and width W and tilted towards the equator by an angle equals to the latitude angle of the location. The model accounts for collectors with one or two glass covers. Calculations are carried out using the model at various parametric values. The results are used to establish charts which can be used for a collector field of any dimensions and located at any location on the surface of the earth. A case study is presented to demonstrate the application of results of the present model to determine the optimum spacing between rows and the monthly average daily solar thermal energy absorbed by the collector field.