Mathematical Modelling of Unglazed Transpired Solar Collectors

Unglazed transpired solar collectors absorb solar energy in order to generate heated air which can be used for various applications. At this moment it is considered an innovative technology with great potential to reduce CO
2
emissions. The main components of such systems are the metal perforated plate, that is exposed to solar radiation, and the fan for air circulation. The aim of this paper is to present a mathematical model that is capable to accurately predict the thermal behaviour of the solar collector. The model was validated by simulating an experiment available in the literature and by comparing the numerical and measured data. The accuracy of the model was evaluated based on the mean bias error, which for the air temperature predictions within the planum and at the outlet yielded values 1.63% and 1.12%, respectively. The root means square error indicated values of 2.54% and 2.02%, for the temperature predictions in the plenum and at outlet, respectively, which demonstrate the numerical model capability to accurately simulate the thermal behaviour of a real installation.