Dynamic solar collector performance testing

Abstract A dynamic solar collector model in conjunction with a dynamic parameter identification and performance prediction method is presented. It promises to make possible solar collector (loop) testing under instationary outdoor meteorological conditions, variable inlet temperature and variable volume flow rate. Measurements for three test sequences were made outdoors under instationary conditions on a 6 m2 flat plate collector array with double glazing. A multi-node model with three parameters (effective area, effective loss coefficient andthermal capacity) is used. Collector parameters are determined for one sequence and the collector performance is then predicted for the remaining two sequences using the same model with the already determined parameters. The error of predicting the temperature difference across the collector, averaged over a sequence, is found to lie at or below 0.2 K. A computer program package providing the parameter identification and performance prediction algorithms as well as the collector model is available.