Multi-objective optimization of flat-plate solar collectors using the Taguchi method and Grey relational analysis

Authors

  • Shraddha Sanjay Lohakare
  • Nikhil J. Rathod

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63682/jns.v13i1.9937

Keywords:

Flat-plate solar collector, Taguchi method, Grey relational analysis, Multi-objective optimization, Thermal performance, Solar water heating system

Abstract

Flat-plate solar collectors are widely used in solar water heating systems, but their thermal performance depends strongly on design and processing parameters. This study presents a multi-objective optimization of a flat-plate solar collector using the Taguchi method combined with Grey relational analysis. Six control factors—collector tube material, absorber plate material, number of collector tubes, tube diameter, absorption film type, and insulation thickness—along with two noise factors were investigated using an L18 orthogonal array to minimize experimental effort. The efficiency coefficient and heat dissipation factor were selected as performance characteristics and evaluated using larger-the-better and smaller-the-better criteria, respectively. Signal-to-noise ratios and ANOVA were employed to assess robustness and parameter significance. Results show that the number of collector tubes is the most influential factor, followed by absorber plate material and absorption film type. The optimized parameter combination significantly improved collector performance, and confirmation experiments validated the proposed optimization model...

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Akhtar N, Mullick SC. Computation of glass-cover temperatures and top heat loss coefficient of flat-plate solar collectors with double glazing. Energy 2007; 32:1067e74.

[2] Alvarez A, Cabeza O, Muñiz MC, Varela LM. Experimental and numerical investigation of a flat-plate solar collector. Energy 2010;35:3707e16.

[3] Szargut J, Stanek W. Thermo-ecological optimization of a solar collector. Energy 2007;32:584e90.

[4] Hottel HC, Woertz BB. Performance of a flat-plate solar-heat collectors. Trans ASME 1942;64:91e104.

[5] Garg HP, Agarwal RK. Some aspects of a PV/T collector/forced circulation flat plate solar water heater with solar cells. Energy Convers Manage 1995;36: 87e99.

[6] Nahar NM, Gupta JP. Studies on gap spacing between absorber and cover glazing in flat plate solar collectors. Int J Energy Res 1989;13:727e32.

[7] Yeh HM, Ho CD, Yeh CW. Effect of aspect ratio on the collector efficiency of sheet-and-tube solar water heaters with the consideration of hydraulic dissipated energy. Renew Energy 2003;28:1575e86.

[8] Eisenmann W, Vajen K, Ackermann H. On the correlations between collector efficiency factor and material content of parallel flow flat-plate solar collectors. Sol Energy 2004;76:381e7.

[9] Farahat S, Sarhaddi F, Ajam H. Exergetic optimization of flat plate solar collectors. Renew Energy 2009;34:1169e74.

[10] Liu WL, Hsieh SH, Chen WJ, Wei PI, Lee JH. Synthesis of the CuInSe2 thin film for solar cells using the electrodeposition technique and Taguchi method. Int J Miner Metall Mater 2009;16:101e7.

[11] Jun SI, McKnight TE, Simpson ML, Rack PD. A statistical parameter study of indium tin oxide thin films deposited by radio-frequency sputtering. Thin Solid Films 2005;476:59e64.

[12] Chen CB, Lin CT, Chang CW, Ho CP. Grey relation for solving multi-quality characteristics problems of Taguchi methods. J Technol 2000;15:25e33.

[13] Tarng YS, Juang SC, Chang CH. The use of grey-based Taguchi methods to determine submerged arc welding process parameters in hardfacing. J Mater Process Technol 2002;128:1e6.

[14] Chiang YM, Hsieh HH. The use of the Taguchi method with grey relational analysis to optimize the thin-film sputtering process with multiple quality characteristic in color filter manufacturing. Comput Ind Eng 2009;56:648e61.

[15] Kuo CFJ, Su TL. Optimization of multiple quality characteristics for polyether ether ketone injection molding process. Fiber Polym 2006;7:404e13.

[16] Kuo CFJ, Su TL. Gray relational analysis for recognizing fabric defects. Text Res J 2003;73:461e5.

[17] Kuo CFJ, Su TL, Tsai CP. Optimization of the needle punching process for the non-woven fabrics with multiple quality characteristics by grey-based Taguchi method. Fiber Polym 2007;8:654e64.

[18] Rao R, Yadava V. Multi-objective optimization of Nd:YAG laser cutting of thin superalloy sheet using grey relational analysis with entropy measurement. Opt Laser Technol 2009;41:922e30.

[19] ISO 9806-1. Test methods for solar collectors e part 1: thermal performance of glazed liquid heating collectors including pressure drop. ISO; 1994.

[20] Rathod, N.J., Chopra, M.K., Chaurasiya, P.K. et al. Optimization on the Turning Process Parameters of SS 304 Using Taguchi and TOPSIS. Ann. Data. Sci. 10, 1405–1419 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40745-021-00369-2 22.

[21] Rathod, N.J., Chopra, M.K., Shelke, S.N. et al. Investigations on hard turning using SS304 sheet metal component grey based Taguchi and regression methodology. Int J Interact Des Manuf 18, 2653–2664 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-023-01244-5 23.

[22] N.J. Rathod, M.K. Chopra, U.S. Vidhate, N.B. Gurule, U.V. Saindane, Investigation on the turning process parameters for tool life and production time using Taguchi analysis, Materials Today: Proceedings, Volume 47, Part 17, 2021, Pages 5830-5835, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.04.199. 24.

[23] Rathod, N.J., Chopra, M.K., Chaurasiya, P.K. et al. Design and optimization of process parameters for hard turning of AISI 304 stainless steel using Taguchi-GRA-PCA. Int J Interact Des Manuf 17, 2403– 2414 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-022-01021-w 25.

[24] Rathod, N.J., Chopra, M.K., Chaurasiya, P.K. et al. Optimization of Tool Life, Surface Roughness and Production Time in CNC Turning Process Using Taguchi Method and ANOVA. Ann. Data. Sci. 10, 1179–1197 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40745-022-00423-7 26.

[25] N.J. Rathod, M.K. Chopra, U.S. Vidhate, U.V. Saindane, Multi objective optimization in turning operation of SS304 sheet metal component, Materials Today: Proceedings, Volume 47, Part 17, 2021, Pages 5806-5811, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.04.143 27.

[26] P. K. Chaurasiya, N. J. Rathod, P. K. Jain, V. Pandey, Shashikant and K. Lala, "Material Selection for Optimal Design Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making," 2023 3rd International Conference on Advancement in Electronics & Communication Engineering (AECE), GHAZIABAD, India, 2023, pp. 206-210, doi: 10.1109/AECE59614.2023.10428303. 28.

[27] Mahesh T. Dhande, et al. 2023. HMCMA: Design of an Efficient Model with Hybrid Machine Learning in Cyber security for Enhanced Detection of Malicious Activities. International Journal on Recent and Innovation Trends in Computing and Communication. 11, 11s (Oct. 2023), 721–734. DOI:https://doi.org/10.17762/ijritcc.v11i11s.9729.

[28] T. Dhande M, Tiwari S, Rathod N. Design of an efficient Malware Prediction Model using Auto Encoded & Attention-based Recurrent Graph Relationship Analysis. Int. Res. J. multidiscip. Technovation [Internet]. 2025 Jan. 22 [cited 2025 Dec. 13];7(1):71-87. Available from: https://asianrepo.org/index.php/irjmt/article/view/103 30.

[29] Kalangi, C., Rathod, N.J., Madhuri, K.S. et al. Performance optimization of ethanol blends in diesel model using Taguchi and grey relational approach. Sci Rep 15, 36048 (2025). 31.

[30] Rathod, N.J., Bonde, P. & Nehete, H.R. Parametric optimization of WEDM of SS 304 stainless steel for material removal rate and surface roughness using Taguchi and Response Surface Methodology. Interactions 246, 60 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10751-025-02273-0 32.

[31] Nikhil Janardan Rathod , Praveen B. M. , Mayur Gitay, Sidhhant N. Patil, Mohan T. Patel, (2025) Optimization Of Multiple Objectives in The Machining Process of SS304 Sheet Metal Components.. Journal of Neonatal Surgery, 14 (14s), 801-809 33.

[32] Rathod, N.J. et al. (2026). Wire Electrical Discharge Machining Process Parameter Optimization via the Taguchi Method. In: Al-Ramahi, N., Musleh Al-Sartawi, A.M.A., Kanan, M. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Era. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 594. Springer, Cham. 34.

[33] Rathod, N.J. et al. (2026). Aluminum Machining Process Parameter Optimization in WEDM with the GRA Approach. In: Al-Ramahi, N., Musleh Al-Sartawi, A.M.A., Kanan, M. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Era. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 594. Springer, Cham. 35.

[34] Rathod, N.J. et al. (2026). Optimizing Wire Electric Discharge Machining Process Parameters for AISI 304 Stainless Steel via Taguchi Design of Experiments. In: Al-Ramahi, N., Musleh Al-Sartawi, A.M.A., Kanan, M. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Era. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 594. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-89771-9_8 36.

[35] Rathod, N.J. et al. (2026). SS304 CNC Turning Process Mathematical Modeling and Machining Parameter Optimization Utilizing the Taguchi Technique. In: Al-Ramahi, N., Musleh Al-Sartawi, A.M.A., Kanan, M. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Era. Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, vol 594. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-89771-9_2 37.

[36] Nikhil Janardan Rathod, Praveen B. M., Mayur Gitay, Sidhhant N. Patil, Mohan T. Patel, (2025) Implementation of Machine Learning Approaches for the Modeling and Predictive Turning Maintenance Operations Incorporating Lubrication and Cooling in Systems of Manufacturing. Journal of Neonatal Surgery, 14 (15s), 1741-1748 38.

[37] Nikhil J. Rathod, Nilesh Ingale, Mahesh T. Dhande, Santhosh H Pawar, A REVIEW ON AI ENABLED MULTI MODEL CARDIOVASCULAR MONITORING SYSTEM FOR PREDICTION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS, Department of Computer Science and Technology, 2025, 180724/IJORAR-1019, 39.

[38] Mayur Jayant Gitay, Dr. Nilesh Diwakar, Dr. M. K. Chopra, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod, Analysis of the performance of a CI engine operating in dual fuel mode with biogas and biodiesel, Eur. Chem. Bull. 2023,12(3) 4462-4472 40.

[39] 35. Prashant S. Raut, Dr. Nilesh Diwakar, Sumit Raut, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod, Performance Evaluation and Emission Characteristic of Biodiesel (Methyl Ester) CI Engine, Eur. Chem. Bull. 2023, 12 (S3), 2240 – 2245 41.

[40] Sumit R. Raut, Dr. Nilesh Diwaka, Prashant S. Raut, Dr. N. J. Rathod, Additives Characterization for Enhanced Biodiesel Performance in a CI Engine, Eur. Chem. Bull. 2023, 12 (S3), 2234 – 2239 42.

[41] Sumit R. Raut, Dr. Nilesh Diwakar, Prashant S. Raut, Dr. N. J. Rathod, The Technique Performance Evaluation and Emission Characteristics of diesel, cerium oxide, and ethanol, Eur. Chem. Bull. 2023, 12 (S3), 3172 – 3184. 43.

[42] Prashant S. Raut, Dr. Nilesh Diwakar, Sumit Raut, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod, The Technique Performance Evaluation and Emission Characteristics of Biodiesel, Eur. Chem. Bull. 2023, 12 (S3), 3147 – 3155

[43] Dr. Mayur Jayant Gitay, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod , Mr. Rohit K. Dhende, Mr. Sagar S. Sasan. “PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF NATURAL FIBER REINFORCED COMPOSITES FOR SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS”, Multidisciplinary Journal of Academic Publications ISSN (Online): 3107-538X Vol. 02, Issue 01, January – February 2026, MJAP/05/0402.

[44] Dr. Mayur Jayant Gitay, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod , Mr. Rohit K. Dhende, Mr. Sagar S. Sasan, “IMPACT AND CRASHWORTHINESS PERFORMANCE OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS”, Multidisciplinary Journal of Academic Publications ISSN (Online): 3107-538X Vol. 02, Issue 01, January – February 2026, 2026/MJAP/09/0403.

[45] Dr. Mayur Jayant Gitay, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod , Mr. Rohit K. Dhende, Mr. Sagar S. Sasan, “IMPACT AND CRASHWORTHINESS PERFORMANCE OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS”, Multidisciplinary Journal of Academic Publications ISSN (Online): 3107-538X Vol. 02, Issue 01, January – February 2026, 2026/MJAP/09/0403.

[46] Dr. Mayur Jayant Gitay, Dr. Nikhil J. Rathod , Mr. Rohit K. Dhende, Mr. Sagar S. Sasan, “THERMO-MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF POLYMER MATRIX COMPOSITES: A CRITICAL REVIEW”, Multidisciplinary Journal of Academic Publications ISSN (Online): 3107-538X Vol. 02, Issue 01, January – February 2026, 2026/MJAP/09/0405

Downloads

Published

2024-12-19

How to Cite

1.
Lohakare SS, Rathod NJ. Multi-objective optimization of flat-plate solar collectors using the Taguchi method and Grey relational analysis. J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2024 Dec. 19 [cited 2026 Feb. 3];13(1):2020-3. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/9937

Issue

Vol. 13 (2024): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

You are free to:

  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.