Analytical Equation for the Top Heat Loss Factor of a Flat-Plate Collector With Double Glazing

This paper reports on an analytical equation for the top heat loss factor of a flat-plate collector with double glazing that has been developed. The maximum computational errors resulting from the use of this equation are plus or minus three percent compared to numerical solution of the heat balance equations. The equation is considerably more accurate than the currently used semi-empirical equations over the entire range of variables covered. It is found that the computational errors resulting from simplification of the proposed equation by approximation of the individual heat-transfer coefficients are much lower than the errors resulting from the use of semi-empirical equations.