
16. SOLAR THERMAL CONVERSION
IV. SOLAR RADIATION CONVERSION
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SOLAR THERMAL
CONVERSION
16.1 Heat generation
Conversion of solar energy to heat requires a light-absorbing material, a
collector, which is able to distribute the absorbed radiant energy over inter-
nal degrees of freedom associated with kinetic energy of motion at the mo-
lecular level (e.g. lattice vibrations in case of a solid). Absorption of solar
energy will raise the temperature of the collector or transfer energy to a
reservoir, if the collector is connected to one. The collector will also emit
radiation, and it may lose heat energy by conduction and convection proc-
esses. The ...