Performance evaluation of solar thermal collectors in Colombian thermal floors by dynamic simulation

Abstract

Population growth has increased energy demands, posing challenges for Colombia due to its limited natural resources and the effects of climate change. Heating and cooling represent the main energy needs of households. Since the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG07, interest in renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, has grown. Solar energy, a clean and abundant resource, is typically harnessed through photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (ST) technologies. ST technologies are classified by their level of solar concentration into 1D, 2D, and 3D dimensions. This study focuses on simulating the performance of flat plate collectors (FPC), evacuated tube collectors (ETC), and parabolic trough collectors (PTC) across different regions of Colombia using TRNSYS software. Linear Fresnel Collectors (LFC) were excluded due to their lower efficiency and commercial maturity compared to PTC. The analysis covers five Colombian thermal floors: warm, temperate, cold, paramo, and snow, represented by five distinct regions. Dynamic simulation models were developed to evaluate the performance of these technologies, offering a detailed and practical insight into their potential implementation in the Colombian context. The results highlight the influence of regional climatic conditions on the performance of each solar technology, emphasizing the need for careful selection and system design tailored to the specific thermal floor to ensure optimal efficiency.