Comparative study of acrylic flat plate and dome shaped collector for summer and winter solstice conditions

Abstract In the presented study, an acrylic flat plate passive daylight collector is compared with the acrylic dome shaped daylight collector for 21st June (summer solstice) and 21st December (winter solstice) day. Daylighting system with both acrylic dome shaped and flat plate collector was designed and simulated using TracePro, an optical designing and simulation tool. A highly reflective light pipe with reflectivity of 95% was utilized as a light transportation device. Collectors are made up of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), boasting higher transmission efficiency, weather resistant and shock resistant properties than glass, easy to manufacture, light weight and cost-effective alternative to glass. Simulations performed for the Chandigarh location showed that the dome shaped collector delivered better results than the flat plate collector.