Determination of Effective Parameters on Flat Plate Collector Performance Using Machine Learning Method

Salimi, Mahtab; Zirak, Saadat

doi:10.22075/jme.2025.38847.2897

Determination of Effective Parameters on Flat Plate Collector Performance Using Machine Learning Method

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Mahtab Salimi

Saadat Zirak

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

10.22075/jme.2025.38847.2897

Abstract

In this paper, first, analytical relationships of flat plate collector absorption rate and solar-to-thermal energy efficiency are presented. For the considered collector, without the use of cooling water, the collector stagnation temperature is 132.5 degrees Celsius (absorber plate temperature) and by entering the cooling water of one liter per minute, the absorber plate temperature decreases to 33 degrees Celsius and the collector efficiency reaches to 77%. To predict the collector efficiency, three machine learning models were used: linear, random forest, and decision tree. Seven parameters of solar radiation intensity, collector tilt angle, wind speed, pipe diameter, number of pipes, ambient temperature, and cooling water flow rate, were selected as input parameters. Comparison of the predicted efficiency with actual values showed that the linear model has a weaker evaluation than the other two models. The random forest and decision tree models perform prediction with almost equal ability and high accuracy (the random forest model predicts negligibly better than the decision tree model). In addition, among the input parameters, changes in collector tilt angle, solar radiation and wind speed insignificantly affects the efficiency. The cooling water flow rate has the greatest effect. The pipe diameter, ambient temperature and the number of the tubes, have a moderate effect.

Keywords

Flat plate collector

Performance

Machine learning

Efficiency

Random forest

Decision tree

Subjects

مکانیک - سیستمهای انرژی

[1] Hottel, Hoyte, and Austin Whillier. "Evaluation of flat-plate solar collector performance." Trans. Conf. Use Sol. Energy 3, (1954): 12–13.

[2] Colangelo, Gianpiero, Ernani Favale, Paola Miglietta, and Arturo De Risi. "Innovation in flat solar thermal collectors: A review of the last ten years experimental results." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 57 (2016): 1141-1159.

[3] Sharif, MK Anuar, A. A. Al-Abidi, Sohif Mat, Kamaruzzaman Sopian, Mohd Hafidz Ruslan, M. Y. Sulaiman, and M. A. M. Rosli. "Review of the application of phase change material for heating and domestic hot water systems." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 42 (2015): 557-568.

[4] Jamar, A. M. Z. A. A., Z. A. A. Majid, W. H. Azmi, M. Norhafana, and A. A. Razak. "A review of water heating system for solar energy applications." International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 76 (2016): 178-187.

[5] Pambudi, Nugroho Agung, Iksan Riva Nanda, and Andi Dwi Saputro. "The energy efficiency of a modified v-corrugated zinc collector on the performance of solar water heater (SWH)." Results in Engineering 18 (2023): 101174.

[6] Kumar, Mahesh, Bhawan Singh Negi, Rahul Grewal, and Himanshu Manchanda. "Assessment of an ETC based solar water heater at different tilt angles." Materials Today: Proceedings (2023).

[7] Ji, Yasheng, Jinzhi Zhou, Bisengimana Emmanuel, Lin Wang, Lin Lu, and Yanping Yuan. "Assessment of factors affecting the performance of a novel double condenser heat pipe Photovoltaic-thermal (PV/T) system in hot water mode: An experimental study in the lab." Thermal Science and Engineering Progress 37 (2023): 101607.

[8] Said, Zafar, Prabhakar Sharma, L. Syam Sundar, Changhe Li, Duy Cuong Tran, Nguyen Dang Khoa Pham, and Xuan Phuong Nguyen. "Improving the thermal efficiency of a solar flat plate collector using MWCNT-Fe3O4/water hybrid nanofluids and ensemble machine learning." Case Studies in Thermal Engineering 40 (2022): 102448.

[9] Pawar, Vivek R., and Sarvenaz Sobhansarbandi. "Heat transfer enhancement of a PCM-porous metal based heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector: An experimental study." Solar Energy 251 (2023): 106-118.

[10] Siyoum, Mesay. "Performance analysis of solar water heater system with heat pipe evacuated tube collector on moha soft drink industries in ethiopia." (2020).

[11] Balaji, K., S. Iniyan, and Ranko Goic. "Thermal performance of solar water heater using velocity enhancer." Renewable Energy 115 (2018): 887-895.

[12] Tilahun, Fitsum Bekele. "Machine learning interfaces for modular modelling and operation-based design optimization of solar thermal systems in process industry." Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence 127 (2024): 107285.

[13] Chandan, Radha Raman, C. R. Aditya, R. Elankeerthana, K. Anitha, R. Sabitha, Ravishankar Sathyamurthy, V. Mohanavel, and M. Sudhakar. "Machine learning Technique for improving the stability of Thermal Energy storage." Energy Reports 8 (2022): 897-907.

[14] Xu, Lan, Aboozar Khalifeh, Amith Khandakar, and Behzad Vaferi. "Numerical investigating the effect of Al2O3-water nanofluids on the thermal efficiency of flat plate solar collectors." Energy Reports 8 (2022): 6530-6542.

[15] Duffie, John A., and William A. Beckman. Solar engineering of thermal processes. John Wiley & Sons, 2013.