TA-23-C102 – Development of a Dual-Function Solar Thermal Collector for Buildings

The Dual-Function Solar Thermal Collector (DFSTC) is a new innovation that replaces the single-pane cover of a flat plate solar collector with a double-pane cover. It allows for heat or cold collection from the sun during the day and cool sky or ambient air during the night. The DFSTC is ideal for solar heat collection and night sky radiative cooling, and in cooling mode, water or other liquid carrying air-conditioning heat can flow between the two panels to reject heat to the ambient environment. In heating mode, the original copper tubes embedded in the absorber plate collect heat from the sun. This paper evaluates the DFSTC's cold collection performance for space cooling in a single-family house. Computer simulations show that the DFSTC is a viable alternative heat sink for a heat pump system during summer months and offers a possible solution to reduce the need for vertical boreholes in a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) system while still maintaining its efficiency. The DFSTC is a versatile and efficient alternative to traditional solar thermal collectors, with potential applications in both heating and cooling systems.