How does shading affect the sizing and placement of a solar collector?

Shade from trees, chimneys or nearby buildings cuts the energy a collector receives. The collector should go on an unshaded part of the roof, or be made larger to compensate.

Why does collector type affect the roof area needed?

Evacuated tubes collect more heat per square metre than flat plates in UK conditions. A household choosing evacuated tubes needs less roof space for the same output.

How does family size affect the size of solar thermal system needed?

Hot water demand rises with the number of occupants. A common rule of thumb is about 1 to 1.5 m² of flat plate collector per person.

Estimate the flat plate collector area for a family of four, allowing 1.25 m² per person.

The family needs about 5 m² of flat plate collector. The working is 4 people × 1.25 m² = 5 m².

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Energy From the Sun

Sizing a domestic solar thermal system

3 things to know
AS 1

Overview

How solar radiation, shading, collector type, family size and lifestyle set collector area, worked hot water and area calculations, orientation and tilt, the cylinder, seasonal output, maintenance and the benefits to a household.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Evaluation

Evaluate what a household gains from fitting a flat plate collector to heat its water.

Key term

What decides how much roof area a home's flat plate solar water heater needs?

Key term

How do solar radiation levels affect the collector area a home needs?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What decides how much roof area a home's flat plate solar water heater needs?
Model answer
The area depends on local solar radiation levels, shading and the type of collector. Family size and lifestyle set how much hot water must be heated.
2
How do solar radiation levels affect the collector area a home needs?
Model answer
Where less solar energy arrives each year, a larger collector is needed to heat the same volume of water. A home in northern Scotland needs more area than an identical home in Cornwall.
3
How does shading affect the sizing and placement of a solar collector?
Model answer
Shade from trees, chimneys or nearby buildings cuts the energy a collector receives. The collector should go on an unshaded part of the roof, or be made larger to compensate.
4
Why does collector type affect the roof area needed?
Model answer
Evacuated tubes collect more heat per square metre than flat plates in UK conditions. A household choosing evacuated tubes needs less roof space for the same output.
5
How does family size affect the size of solar thermal system needed?
Model answer
Hot water demand rises with the number of occupants. A common rule of thumb is about 1 to 1.5 m² of flat plate collector per person.
6
Estimate the flat plate collector area for a family of four, allowing 1.25 m² per person.
Model answer
The family needs about 5 m² of flat plate collector. The working is 4 people × 1.25 m² = 5 m².

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