Optimal distribution of heat conducting material in the finned pipe solar energy collector 

 -  Solar Energy, 21, p.477-484, 1978 .
<br/><br/> Economic aspects of design of solar energy collectors consisting of pipes provided with radiation absorbing fins are analysed. A variational problem is formulated such that its solution satisfies conditions of linear heat transfer within the fins and between the fins and their surroundings while minimising a functional which may be interpreted as minimum weight or minimum cost of the collector per unit heat output. The solution of this problem is found for a fin of variable thickness as well as for one of fixed thickness. The physical parameters of this solution are compared with the known solutions of the analogous problem of heat dissipation.