Consists of an absorber, a transparent cover, a tray, and insulation. Usually a low-iron solar safety glass is used as a transparent cover, as it transmits a great amount of the short-wave light spectrum.
Absorber strip is located in an evacuated glass tube
The heat transfer to the fluid flows through the absorber via a U-tube or heat pipes. Several single tubes, serially interconnected, or tubes connected to each other via manifold, make up the solar collector
Consists of multiple polypropylene pipes between two chambers that are acting as an absorber.
No cover, frame, or insulation.
How Common
Most common
Moderately common
Fairly common
Maturity of Technology
75 years
15 years
45 years
Common Applications
Potable hot water
Potable hot water & steam
Swimming pools
Types
Copper-copper Selective Coated
Copper-aluminium Sel. Coated
Steel Selective Coated
Copper-copper coated black
Copper-aluminium coated black