In this paper a simulink model of an industrial evacuated tube solar collector is reported. The inverse response characteristic of a solar collector is derived from first principles and experimentally validated using a laboratory solar collector for a range of input variables. The solar collector transfer function is incorporated into the simulink model and several control strategies are examined. The inverse response characteristic arises due to the competing first and second order characteristics of the flow and heat transfer process.

Solar collectors have the potential to provide renewable energy to industrial sites with hot water heating needs. The industrial uptake of solar technology does however require a greater level of control over the system to ensure that the process yield and quality constraints are not compromised. Improved fundamental understanding of how industrial solar systems operate and how they are controlled will assist in lowering the underlying process risk. Addressing these risk factors will help encourage the uptake of this developing technology in wider industrial applications.