What is Absorber?

Absorber: The part of the collector that actively absorbs the light rays. For solar tubes this is defined as the cross-sectional area of the inner tube (selective coated) measured using the outside diameter. (Eg. 0.047 x 1.72m = 0.08m2) This value is used when calculating efficiency values. For solar tube collectors with reflective panels, the entire circumferential surface area of the inner tube is often used when calculating absorber area, as the reflective panel is supposed to reflect light onto underside of the evacuated tube.