Solar thermal collectors turn 40–70 % of sunlight into heat. Storage — from day tanks to seasonal pits — lets that heat serve processes and networks around the clock.
Industrial solar heat (SHIP) for 60–250 °C processes is growing quickly in India, where irradiation is high and fuel prices are significant.
Key facts
- Collector
- η = η₀ − a₁ΔT/G − a₂ΔT²/G
- Temperatures
- ≈ 40–400 °C
- Storage
- Water, oil, PCM, pits
- Standard
- ISO 9806 collector testing
Collector types6
- Flat-plate collectors
- Evacuated-tube collectors
- Parabolic trough (process heat)
- Linear Fresnel
- Concentrating dish / Scheffler
- PVT hybrid collectors
Storage options5
- Daily hot-water tanks
- Pressurised water / steam accumulators
- Thermal oil tanks
- PCM buffers
- Seasonal pit and borehole stores
Applications5
- Food and dairy processing
- Textile dyeing and washing
- Pharma and chemicals
- Hotels and hospitals
- Solar district heating
Related calculators
Calculators are available to staff / admin only.
Related topics
- CSP StorageConcentrated solar power with molten-salt storage generates electricity for hours after sunset.
- District HeatingAccumulator tanks, pits and boreholes let heat networks run CHP, heat pumps, solar and waste heat at the best hours.
- Underground / SeasonalBoreholes, aquifers and large pits hold heat for weeks or seasons — the backbone of solar district heating.
- Industrial HeatStorage matched to each industry's temperature, operating cycle and heat-delivery form — steam, hot air, hot oil or hot water.
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