Expected Incidence of Hail Damage to Solar Flat Plate Collectors

摘要

A probability model is presented with which to calculate the Expected Life Cycle costs due to hail damage to solar flat plate collectors. This probability model is based on hailfall characteristics, namely the hailday, the hailstone size, and the storm severity distributions. The model is also based on wind speed during hailstorms, collector tilt, and the distribution of a glazing's breakage on hailstone impact. Probability density functions have been fitted to the available hail and glazing impact data to represent these distributions, and a sensitivity analysis of the model has been performed. The Expected Life Cycle cost due to hail damage can be evaluated based on the 20-year Mean Fraction of breakage, MF. The MF has been calculated for a number of glazings for severe hail areas in the United States and results are presented. Based on these results, recommendations are made.