In the framework of a study on innovations applied in solar domestic hot water systems, a new simulation model describing a one-cover solar flat-plate thermal collector has been developed. The objective is to obtain a detailed energy balance of this component. The model is based on a simplified approach of mass and heat transfers using a three-nodes electrical analogy: cover, absorber and fluid. This new TRNSYS 'TYPE' is different from the other solar collector TYPEs, insofar as it takes three important aspects into account: the transient behaviour of the collector, infrared radiation exchanges between cover and surrounding (ground and sky separately), and thermo physical collector characteristics. An experimental validation has been carried out. The outlet fluid temperature has been compared between simulation results and experimentation. Except for stagnation period, simulated and measured outlet fluid temperatures are very close. The TYPE 1 (the reference flat-plate solar collector model of the TRNSYS library) has been studied too. We have shown that it is important to take the transient behaviour of the collector into account when working with small simulation time step. With quasi steady state operation (solar radiation and fluid flow-rate), the two model behaviours are similar. Using this new model will allow us to obtain a detailed energy balance of this component in different working conditions.
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