Augmented solar energy collection using various planar reflective surfaces: theoretical calculations and experimental results
The use of planar reflective surfaces can substantially improve the performance of both active and passive solar collectors. The results of theoretical calculations and experimental tests on the use of different types of flat reflective surfaces to increase the collection of solar energy by flat collectors are presented. Specular, diffuse, and combination specular/diffuse reflective surfaces are discussed. This present work differs from that of other investigators principally in that an attempt has been made to describe the reflective properties of surfaces in more generalized terms than simple direct or simple diffuse. Most real surfaces possess a combination of specular-like and diffuse-like reflective properties. A computer model has been generated to describe surfaces as a combination of specular- and diffuse-like reflectivities. The reflective properties of a given surface can be measured in the laboratory as a function of incident and reflected angles, and these measured reflective properties can be used in the computer model to predict the increase in collector performance with such a reflector. Predictions of system performance were made for various collector/reflector configurations and compared with the performance of an optimally oriented collector without a reflector.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 6867880
- Report Number(s):
- LA-7041
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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