In this paper, a numerical investigation of flat plate solar collectors is developed to determine the optimal performance and design parameters of these solar to thermal energy conversion systems. The collector is used to supply hot water. It consists of three main components, namely a transparent cover, an absorber and a transfer fluid. A transient simulation method has been developed to characterize the dynamic behavior. The model was established regarding the energy balance analysis. A set of equations representing the model was simultaneously solved. The results are used to investigate the effect of various parameters on the performance of the collector such as outlet water temperature and overall heat loss coefficient. The overall methodology has been developed on environmental data which are characteristic of the city of Gabes in Tunisia. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.