SOLAR COLLECTOR TESTING.

Abstract

This paper presents a brief description of the different methods of testing flat-plate solar collectors to evaluate their thermal performance. For the testing of collectors under steady state conditions, an outline of the NBS, ASHRAE and CEC methods of testing collectors is also included. A transient method of testing collectors to evaluate thermal perfomance, which is under development in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is described. This method employs the single-blow technique which is commonly used for testing heat transfer surfaces. The steady state parameters of the collectors are extracted from the transient test.