solar collector

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solar collector

A solar collector focuses sunlight to heat a small container of water.

Definition

Noun: A device designed to absorb sunlight and convert it into heat energy. A solar collector typically consists of a surface that captures solar radiation, often using a system to transfer the collected heat to a fluid or air for practical use, such as heating water or spaces.

Usage

A "solar collector" is a technical term for a key component in solar thermal systems. It is used to describe the apparatus that gathers and retains solar energy as heat. - The house uses a solar collector on the roof to heat water for the showers. - Installing a solar collector can significantly reduce energy bills for heating a swimming pool.

Advanced Usage
  • "Flat-plate solar collector": A common type of collector consisting of an insulated, weatherproofed box containing a dark absorber plate under a transparent cover.
    • A flat-plate solar collector is efficient for domestic hot water systems.
  • "Evacuated-tube solar collector": A more efficient type featuring rows of parallel glass tubes, each containing an absorber tube within a vacuum.
    • For higher temperature applications, an evacuated-tube solar collector is often recommended.
Variants and Related Words
  • Solar thermal collector: A more precise, synonymous term.
  • Collector: In technical contexts, "collector" can be used as a short form when the solar application is clear from context.
  • Solar panel: While often used interchangeably in casual speech, "solar panel" more accurately refers to photovoltaic panels that generate electricity, not heat.
Synonyms
  • Solar thermal device
  • Sun trap (informal)
Related Phrases
  • Solar collector system: Refers to the complete setup, including the collector, pumps, storage tank, and controls.
    • The efficiency of a solar collector system depends on proper installation and sunlight availability.
  • Solar collector efficiency: A measure of how effectively a collector converts sunlight into usable heat.
    • The engineer discussed ways to improve the solar collector efficiency.
Related Concepts
  • Renewable energy: Energy from sources that are naturally replenished, like sunlight, which solar collectors harness.
  • Insolation: The amount of solar radiation reaching a given area, a critical factor for solar collector performance.
solar collector

A solar collector focuses sunlight to heat a small container of water.

Noun
  1. a concave mirror that concentrates the rays of the sun; can produce high temperatures

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