Solar Energy Vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 99–112, 2002 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd  Pergamon PII: S0038–092X(01)00092–5 All rights reserved. Printed in Great Britain 0038-092X / 02 / $ - see front matter www.elsevier.com / locate / solener MODELLING AND PERFORMANCE OF A COPOLYMER SOLAR WATER HEATING COLLECTOR ² C. CRISTOFARI , G. NOTTON, P. POGGI and A. LOUCHE ´ ` Universite de Corse, Centre de Recherches ‘Energie et Systemes’, U.R.A. CNRS 2053, Route des Sanguinaires, F-20000 Ajaccio, France Received 3 November 1999; revised version accepted 20 July 2001 Communicated by BRIAN NORTON Abstract—The performance of a solar flat-plate thermal collector wholly manufactured in a copolymer material is studied. The influence of different parameters of the system such as the insulation thickness, the flow rate and the fluid layer thickness is analysed. Thermal performance, productivity and efficiency of such a solar system is presented for a Mediterranean site. Yearly mean efficiencies are about 56.5% in no wind and 21 about 49.0% for a wind speed of 5 m s . The use of polymer materials reduces the collector weight by 50% in comparison with a traditional metal collector, this renders easier installation.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. INTRODUCTION In this context, since the early 1980s, the French Agency for Environment and Energy Solar water heating systems have reached techni- Management (ADEME) and the Corsican Terri- cal maturity and are used in many countries. After torial Collectivity have implemented a common the first oil crisis in 1973, the strategies used by policy for the development of renewable energies industrialised and developing countries to reduce and actions to control and reduce energy cost. their oil dependence have been numerous. A This policy consists of financial aids taking place diversification of energy import, a structural in the context of the Corsican Fund for the Energy change of the large domestic product (industrial Management (FCME) whose sources are the two development of activities using a low energy partners. expenditure) or an increase of the national supply The low integration of thermal solar energy in have been the essential measures taken by the Corsica and more generally in France shows that countries with various degrees of importance. a real environmental policy and more competitive France gave greater emphasis to the develop- prices of installations are necessary for a more ment of the national supply in developing nuclear extensive use of these systems. energy. This choice has been possible by an The political initiatives such as the one taken in intention policy and a monopoly of the electrical Greece for the promotion of solar energy that is supply. The island character of Corsica in the guaranteed performance and payback through Mediterranean sea (particularly the fact that this energy savings (Tsilingiris, 1993) must be consid- island is not connected to the French continental ered as a reference for the development of this electrical grid) caused this region to opt for energy. Concerning price, to reduce the cost of another energy policy: energy sources diversifica- these systems, R&D is necessary to improve tion (Cristofari et al., 2000). Natural resources of quality and their reliability. hydroelectric energy provide about 30% of the In this study, a copolymer solar collector is island’s electrical demand, two fuel thermal presented and its technical characteristics are power plants meet 50% of demand and the optimised. Finally, we will study the thermal remaining 15% are brought to Corsica from Italy performances of this solar installation. via the SACO electrical cable. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ² The cost of energy produced by solar domestic Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. hot water (SDHW) depends on: costs of various Tel.: 133-4-9545-0154; fax: 133-4-9552-4142; e-mail: cristofa@univ-corse.fr materials which make up the system (particularly 99