Abstract In this review, flat plate and concentrate-type solar collectors, integrated collector–storage systems, water heaters combined with photovoltaic–thermal modules, solar-assisted heat pump heaters, using phase change materials are studied based on their thermal performance, cost, energy, exergy efficiencies. The maximum temperature efficiencies enlisted to evaluate the performance of dif...

Solar energy is the most “available”, ecological and clean energy. This energy can be used in active or passive mode. The active mode implies the transformation of solar energy into a useful energy. The solar energy can be transformed into thermal energy, using solar collectors. In these collectors, the active and the most important element is the absorber, material which performs the absorptio...

Relative to solar water heaters, solar air heaters have received relatively little investigation and have resulted in few commercial products. However, in the context of a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) desalination cycle, air heating accounts for advantages in cycle performance. Solar collectors can be over 40% of an air-heated HDH system’s cost; thus, design optimization is crucial. Be...

This paper is concerned with the emergence and development of low-to-medium-grade thermal-energy-conversion systems for distributed power generation based on thermodynamic vapor-phase heat-engine cycles undergone by organic working fluids, namely organic Rankine cycles (ORCs). ORC power systems are, to some extent, a relatively established and mature technology that is well-suited to converting...

• Semi-transparent solar cells are effective spectral-splitting optical filters. Optical properties of significantly affect the energy allocation. The proposed PVT collector can generate high-temperature (>100 °C) heat. Perovskite cell is great promise in next-generation applications. Detailed performance maps assist designers selecting material. Spectral splitting a promising design methodolog...