What Is The SRCC OG-300 Solar Thermal System Certification?
Your TitanPlus Flat Plate Collectors Are Now Covered For A Full 20 Years!
Comparison of SunMaxx Heat Pipe Vs U-Pipe Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors:
Test Models: SunMaxx-30 and SunMaxx-30U
Testing Report: Solar Keymark Certification Testing
| Collector Model | ThermoPower-VDF30 | ThermoPower-VHP30 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collector Type | U-Pipe | Heat Pipe | ||||
| Aperture Area | 2.67 m2 / 28.74 ft2 | 2.79 m2 / 30.03 ft2 | ||||
| Conversion Factor (efficiency) | 0.650 | 0.734 | ||||
| Heat Transfer Coefficient (a1) | 1.585 W/(m2K) | 1.529 W//(m2K) | ||||
| Temperature Dependent Heat Transfer Coefficient (a2) | 0.002 W/(m2K) | 0.012 W/(m2K) | ||||
| Typical Power Output / Collector | ||||||
| Tm-Ta (K) | 400 W/m2 | 700 W/m2 | 1000 W/m2 | 400 W/m2 | 700 W/m2 | 1000 W/m2 |
| 10 | 649 | 1172 | 1693 | 772 | 1387 | 2001 |
| 30 | 562 | 1083 | 1510 | 650 | 1264 | 1879 |
| 50 | 469 | 990 | 1510 | 490 | 1105 | 1719 |
| Power Output (W/m2 – Aperture Area) Based On 1000 W/m2 Irradiance | 634 W/m2 Of Aperture Area | 717 W/m2 Of Aperture Area | ||||
| Power Output (BTU/m2 – Aperture Area) Based On 1000 W/m2 Of Irradiance | 2163 BTU/h/m2 Of Aperture Area 201 BTU/h/m2 Of Aperture Area |
2446 BTU/h/m2 Of Aperture Area 227 BTU/h/ft2 Of Aperture Area |
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| Total BTU/h | 5923 BTU/h | 6824 BTU/h | ||||
| BTU/h/$ Invested (Collector Value) | 4.76 BTU/h/$ | 3.90 BTU/h/$ | ||||
It is clear from the results that the conversion efficiency of SunMaxx Heat Pipe Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors is superior to that of SunMaxx U-Pipe Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors.
Despite this, U-Pipe Solar Collectors provide an extremely low-cost alternative to Heat Pipe Solar Collectors, and their unique ability to be installed at 0 or 90 degree angles (either flat (flush) or vertical) make them a superb choice for commercial installations. The ability to be installed in this fashion permits them to be used in places where traditional heat-pipe tubes would be less efficient due to shading from the collectors themselves.
In pure dollar value – heat production per dollar invested – SunMaxx U-Pipe Solar Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors win out over other collector styles because of their extremely low price and high performance ratings.
If you are looking for the most value for your money, and the lowest possible initial investment, SunMaxx U-Pipe Evacuated Tube Solar Collectors are the most viable choice.