CFD and solar water collector

Increasing environmental pollution on a global scale and the rapid depletion of traditional energy sources have led scientists to search for clean and renewable energy sources. Among renewable energy sources, solar energy stands out as a clean, energy-efficient and abundant source. There are many methods of obtaining thermal and electrical energy from solar energy. Among these methods, solar water collectors are widely used throughout the world, thanks to their wide range of applications, from domestic hot water supply and space heating applications to industrial process heat. The main purpose of this study is to examine solar water collector systems in a general framework. Solar water collector types are introduced in detail, their performance is evaluated, and especially CFD studies on their thermal efficiency are presented. Solar water collector systems were examined comparatively in terms of energy efficiency and the parameters affecting their thermal performance were observed. As a general acceptance, evacuated-tube solar water collectors are more efficient than flat-plate collectors. Compound parabolic collectors are preferred in higher-temperature applications. Thermal efficiency can be increased by using nanofluids or hybrid systems.