Solar Energy

Front 1

active solar energy collection

Back 1

Systems
that use circulating
pumps and fans to
collect and
distribute heat.

Front 2

azimuth path

Back 2

The
sun's movement
from east to west.

Front 3

closed loop solar collection

Back 3

Systems
in which a collection
medium is
used to collect the
heat and transfer it
to water or air for
end use.

Front 4

compound parabolic collector

Back 4

A combination of a
flat-plate collector
and a parabolic
collectol, offering
advantages of both
types.

Front 5

condesing unit

Back 5

In solar cooling
operations, the
unit where refrigerant
is condensed
from a gas back
into a liquid and
gives up its heat.

Front 6

convective loop

Back 6

The loop created
when convection
carries heated air
from an isolated
gain solar collector
up to a structure,
and cold air return
vents allow cooler
air to return to the
collector".

Front 7

direct gain approach

Back 7

The
most common type
of passive solar
collection. In this
type of system,
there are no significant
architectural
provisions made to
coilect solar energy,
other than facing
windows in the
proper direction

Front 8

evaporator

Back 8

A
freezing unit used
in solar cooling
operations. Pure
liquid refrigerant
absorbs the heat
from the surrounding
area and turns
back into a gas in
the evaporator.

Front 9

flat-plate collector

Back 9

The most
common type of
active solar
collector. It is typically
stationary,
mounted on a
rooftop, facing
south in the
northern hemisphere.

Front 10

indirect gain approach

Back 10

a type of passive solar collection that makes use of a storage medium to store heat for later use.

Front 11

isolated gain approach

Back 11

A type
of passive solar
collection in which
the solar collector
is isoiated from the
structure to be
heated.

Front 12

linear-concentrating parabolic collector

Back 12

An active solar
collector that tracks
the sun's movement,
generating
temperatures of
hundreds of
degrees Fahrenheit
on a clear day.

Front 13

open loop solar collection

Back 13

Systems
in which the
heated water or air
is directly distributed
for use.

Front 14

parabolic dish collector

Back 14

An active
solar collector that
is point focusing. It
has a tremendous
collection ratio,
permitting large
point-focusing
collectors to
produce temperatures
of thousands
of degrees
Fahrenheit.

Front 15

passive solar energy collection

Back 15

Systems that do
not make use of
any externally
powered, moving
parts, such as
circulation pumps,
to move heated
water or air.

Front 16

phase change

Back 16

a phase change in a substance state (liquid, solid, or gas)

Front 17

photoelectric effect

Back 17

The emission
of free electrons
r.t hen photons
strike certain
metals.

Front 18

photovoltaic cell

Back 18

A cell that converts
sunlight directly
into electricity. This
occurs when positively
charged
photons strike the
cell and displace
electrons from the
valence shell of the
material making
up the cell.
Sometimes referred
to as a solar cell.

Front 19

trombe wall

Back 19

a common application of the indirect gain approach is heated throughout the day.

Front 20

zenith path

Back 20

The
height of the sun in
the sky.

Front 21

conduction

Back 21

The
transfer of heat
from molecule to
molecule, straight
through a material
or group of
materials.