What is the difference between a flat plate and evacuated tube collector?
• Flat plate collectors are the most common solar thermal collectors available for residential and commercial applications. They are thermally insulated and robust, covered with a sheet of high tempered low-iron glass. The plate absorber transfers the heat to a network of small pipes under the absorber which contain a heat transfer fluid. They typically have a low profile and integrate into the roof line creating an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Flat plate collectors are ideally suited for medium temperature applications such as domestic hot water and space heating. • An evacuated-tube collector contains several individual glass tubes, each containing an absorber plate bonded to a heat pipe and suspended in a vacuum. The pipe transfers the heat to a condenser through the top of the tube. The condensers are attached to heat exchangers in a well-insulated manifold. The evacuated tube collectors generate high temperatures making them ideal for commercial and industrial process heat a
