A simulated comparison of the useful energy gain in a fixed and a fully tracking flat plate collector

ABSTRACT A comparison is made in the useful energy gain of a flat plate collector facing due south and one that is fully tracking using actual hourly meterological data applied to a “theoretical” flat plate collector. The ratio of total hourly radiation on a tilted surface to that on a horizontal surface, R, is found for a tracking collector using Rb, the ratio of hourly beam radiation on a tilted surface to that on a horizontal surface, and a knowledge of the ratio of daily diffuse radiation to daily total radiation on a horizontal surface. A digital computer is used to calculate the daily useful energy gain using hourly values of solar radiation on a tilted surface, ambient temperature and wind velocity. The results show that the fully tracking flat plate collector outperforms the fixed flat plate collector by a wide enough margin to warrent further investigation.