Exergy and sustainability-based optimisation of flat plate solar collectors by using a novel mathematical model

Abstract

A novel mathematical model was used to estimate optimum tilt and azimuth angles, considering exergoeconomic and sustainability aspects. This approach made the solar collector's performance evaluation independent of experimental precision. The optimal angles of 41.191degree celsius, 10.038degree celsius for Izmir maximised the total surface radiation, exergetic efficiency, exergetic sustainability index, and minimised the destruction and cost rates due to the enhanced useful exergy stream. However, for thermal efficiency maximisation, useful collected solar energy and total surface radiation competed, leading to lower tilt and azimuth angles (0, -0.008). A multi-objective optimisation process chose the pair (0, 259.428) to maximise first law efficiency and exergoeconomic factor.