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ABSTRACT
Solar energy is a widely used, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, clean, and carbon-free renewable energy source that reduces reliance on coal, electricity, and other sources. It is considered the most valuable among all renewable energy sources available. Solar energy is widely used for a range of applications, including water heating in domestic and industrial settings, with flat-plate solar collectors (FPSCs) being a popular choice due to their simple design, ease of installation and operation, and lower maintenance requirements compared to other types of solar collectors. This review attempts to provide attention to the up-to-date technological advancement and enhancement in the performance of water heater using design features of FPSC such as flow tube design and shape of collector, absorber coating and material, glazing material, and insulation used. This review aims to offer a useful method for assessing and contrasting various methods of heat transfer enhancement, ultimately leading to the selection of the most suitable option. Additionally, the study highlights the research gaps and suggests potential areas for future improvement, which is expected to assist researchers in advancing this technology further.
Nomenclature
| Greek Symbols | = | |
| α | = | Absorption coefficient of plate |
| ηcoll | = | Collector efficiency |
| θc | = | angle of collector from horizontal |
| θm | = | angle of the reflector from horizontal |
| τ | = | Transmission efficiency of glazing |
Abbreviations
| ASWHS | = | Active solar water heating system |
| ETSC | = | Evacuated tube solar collector |
| FPSC | = | Flat-plate solar collector |
| FPSWH | = | Flat-plate solar water heater |
| GHG | = | Greenhouse gases: |
| HTF | = | Heat transfer fluid |
| MFR | = | Mass flow rate |
| NTT | = | Nail twisted tube |
| PCM | = | Phase change material |
| PTSC | = | Parabolic trough solar collector |
| RATT | = | Ring attached twisted tape |
| RE | = | Renewable energy |
| SS | = | Stainless steel |
| STS | = | Solar thermal system |
| SWH | = | Solar water heater |
| SWHS | = | Solar water heating system |
| TE | = | Thermal efficiency |
| TW | = | Terawatt |
Acknowledgements
For providing the resources for this paper, the authors are extremely grateful to University Teaching Department (UTD) CSVTU Bhilai (C.G.). We also like to express our gratitude to all the researchers whose work was referenced or utilized.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).