Optimum tilt angle for solar collectors used in Cyprus

✍ Scribed by D. Ibrahim

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 435 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0960-1481
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-1481(95)00070-z

✦ Synopsis

Flat-plate solar collectors are widely used in Cyprus for water heating purposes. The roofs of nearly all the residential premises on the island are fitted with such collectors. This article examines the theoretical aspects of choosing a tilt angle for the solar flat-plate collectors used in Cyprus and makes recommendations on how the collected energy can be increased by varying the tilt angle. In this paper, the collector surface is assumed to be facing South and the calculations are based upon the measured values of daily global solar radiation on a horizontal surface on the island. The beam and diffuse components of the horizontal global radiation are then estimated and the solar radiation on a tilted surface is calculated as the angle of tilt is varied from 0" to 90 °. It is shown that very nearly optimal energy can be collected if the angle of tilt is varied seasonally, four times a year.