Scheffler concentrators are used for heating water and producing steam. Flat plate collectors are normally used for low-temperature water heating. In this research work, the performances of a flat plate collector and a Scheffler solar concentrator were studied individually. After careful study of the results, an integrated system was developed to enhance the efficiency. Also, the experimental results were checked and validated through CFD. Flat plate collector shows higher efficiency in heating water up to 50∼60°C and hence this feature is used for pre-heating the water fed to the Scheffler concentrator. As a result, Scheffler concentrator’s thermal efficiency is improved significantly by about 6%. The steam generation rate of integrated system is also increased when compared to that of individual Scheffler concentrator. This study uses experimental works along with numerical methods to substantiate the results providing a good visualisation of the receiver’s performance. © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.