Application of Aluminum Flat Tubes in Solar Thermal Collectors

With the increasing demand for renewable energy, solar thermal collectors are becoming a key technology for domestic and industrial water heating. A critical component in these systems is the aluminum flat tube, valued for its excellent heat conductivity, corrosion resistance, and cost-efficiency.

What Is an Aluminum Flat Tube?

An aluminum flat tube, also known as a flat extruded aluminum pipe or multi-port extrusion (MPE), features a rectangular or oval cross-section with multiple inner channels. These channels enhance the surface area for heat exchange and fluid flow, making them ideal for solar absorber plates and heat exchangers.

Why Use Aluminum Flat Tubes in Solar Collectors?

Superior Thermal Conductivity

Aluminum offers high thermal conductivity (over 200 W/m·K), ensuring fast and efficient heat transfer from the absorber surface to the fluid inside the tube.

Lightweight Structure

Compared to copper, aluminum flat tubes are up to 50% lighter, reducing load on the mounting system and simplifying installation, especially for large solar farms.

Corrosion Resistance

Aluminum naturally resists corrosion. With surface treatments such as anodizing or hydrophilic coating, aluminum flat tubes maintain performance in humid or saline environments for over 20 years.

High Pressure Resistance

The internal multi-channel design distributes pressure evenly, making flat aluminum tubes suitable for both pressurized and non-pressurized solar systems.

 Cost Effectiveness

Aluminum is significantly more affordable than copper, especially for large-scale solar collector manufacturing.

Typical Technical Specifications

Applications in Solar Thermal Systems

• Flat plate solar collectors: As absorber tubes for maximum surface contact with sunlight.
• Vacuum tube collectors: Inserted inside glass tubes for efficient internal heat exchange.
• Heat pipe systems: As fluid transfer pipes between the absorber and heat storage.
• Thermal storage units: Used in integrated systems to transport and store heated fluid.

Customization and Manufacturing

We provide custom aluminum flat tubes tailored to your solar thermal system requirements. Available with precision extrusion, CNC cutting, slotting, bending, and surface coating services. Dimensions, channel numbers, and alloys can be adjusted based on thermal load and system design.

Aluminum flat tubes are an ideal solution for solar thermal collectors, combining high thermal performance with durability and low cost. Whether you're manufacturing flat plate systems or advanced solar heat exchangers, our high-quality aluminum tubes can help improve system efficiency and reliability.

Contact us today for samples, drawings, and a quotation on solar-grade aluminum flat tubes tailored to your project needs.

Author: frank

Chalco Aluminium is specialized in producing and marketing aluminium bar.Our customer service representatives are qualified,knowledgeable aluminum bars experts, Thire industry expertise and professionalism will save you time and money and ensure that you have the best aluminium bars and rods.