Table 15-1. - Advantages and Disadvantages of Air and Liquid Heating Systems
The amount of solar energy collected by a solar collector depends on its efficiency. The construction, configuration, and the choice of material determines the efficiency of a solar collector.
Although solar collectors can collect heat from the diffuse component of solar radiation, solar systems are designed to use radiation. Direct radiation is in the form of parallel rays coming straight from the sun. To capture this energy, tilt the solar collector, as shown in figure 15-1, so it is nearly perpendicular to the solar rays.
In addition to choosing the best collector tilt angle, take into consideration the direction that the collector faces. Normally, true south is the best and most frequent choice, However, 10 degrees west of south maybe preferable in some locations if early morning haze or fog is a regular occurrence.
Equally important as collector location is keeping the collectors out of the shade, especially between 0900 and 1500 hours, when most of the useful energy collection occurs. In summary although many buildings do not have a "perfect" solar orientation, there are still many places with good solar energy potential.
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