Thermal Performance of Solar Collectors with EPDM Absorber Plates

Abstract

An experimental study of flat-plate solar collectors using ethylene, propylenediene monomer (EPDM) absorber plates is descn"bed. In spite of the high thermal resistance of this material the performance is found to compare well with metal absorbers and to be in agreement with the Hottel-Whillier-Bliss equation. There is, however, an observed increase in the heat loss coefficient for mass flow rates below a critical value.