The experimental study of separate heat-pipe collector

An experiment for the separate flat-plate type heat-pipe collector was carried out in this study. The purpose is to determine the performance of the separate heat-pipe collector. The flat-plate heat-pipe collector designed and manufactured by ITRI uses the gravity assisted separate heat-pipe. Two types of solar collectors have been developed successfully: the separate flat-plate heat-pipe collector for copper-water, and that for copper-methanol. The heat-pipes used are of the separate type which separate vapor flow from condensed fluid and increase the heat transfer. The test results are that the overall efficiency of the separate flat-plate heat-pipe collector for copper-water is 46.8%, and for copper-methanol is 50.1%. Both efficiencies are higher than 40.8% of the indirect heating. One may be greater than 90% as efficient as a direct heat collector.