Research of Heat Losses of Solar Collectors and Heat Accumulators

The article discusses the features of heat losses by convection and radiation of flat solar collectors on the basis of a non-stationary thermal model and program. The connection of heat losses with the generalized heat loss coefficient of solar collectors is shown. The article also deals with the problem of determining the distribution of temperatures and heat losses by convection and radiation of a thermal insulation system – accumulating body (water) for a spherical heat accumulator under symmetric boundary conditions. The problem is solved numerically according to the program developed on the basis of the proposed “gap method.” The method and program for the numerical calculation of heat losses and temperatures in time in a spherical two-layer heat accumulator with symmetric boundary conditions, taking into account both incident and intrinsic radiation, have been developed. The program has been developed for a “long” two-layer cylindrical heat accumulator of solar collectors.