太阳能集热器，是指吸收太阳辐射并将产生的热能传递到传热介质的装置。在太阳能的热利用中，关键是将太阳的辐射能转换为热能，由于太阳能比较分散，必须设法把它集中起来，所以，集热器是各种利用太阳能装置的关键部分。由于用途不同，集热器及其匹配的系统类型分为许多种，名称也不同，如用于炊事的太阳灶、用于产生热水的太阳能热水器、用于干燥物品的太阳能干燥器、用于熔炼金属的太阳能熔炉，以及太阳房、太阳能热电站、太阳能海水淡化器等。
Solar collector refers to the device that absorbs solar radiation and transmits the generated heat energy to the heat transfer medium. In the heat utilization of solar energy, the key is to convert the radiant energy of the sun into heat energy. Because the solar energy is relatively scattered, we must try to concentrate it. Therefore, the collector is the key part of various solar energy utilization devices. Due to different uses, collectors and their matching systems are divided into many types and have different names, such as solar stoves for cooking, solar water heaters for generating hot water, solar dryers for drying articles, solar furnaces for smelting metals, and Taiyang room, solar thermal power station, solar desalination device, etc.