Numerical Study of Thermal Behavior in Flat Plate Solar Collector System

Since flat plate solar collectors are inexpensive, simple to construct, and have a track record of successfully converting solar radiation into heat, they are frequently utilized in solar thermal systems. Using COMSOL Multiphysics. this research includes a thorough numerical sequence of heat exchange in flat plate solar collectors. Their main objective is to evaluate their thermal performance and efficiency under varied operating and environmental circumstances. The created simulation model accurately mimics the acmal working circumstances by including intricate geometrical configurations, material attributes, and boundary conditions. To develop a better knowledge of the system's thermal dynamics, the basic elements of temperature distribution, convective heat transfer, beneficial heat gain, and fluid flow behaviour are investigated. The simulations' results demonstrated that, for input fluid velocities of 0.3 m/s. 0.35 m/s, 0.4 m/s, and 0.45 m/s, there was a spatial variation of temperature over the absorber plate. It was foiuid that low flow* velocities raise the output temperature and the rate at which heat is exchanged between the working fluid and the absorber plate. The findings confirm that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods for improving the design and operation of a solar thermal collector are feasible.