Experimental and numerical assessments of the effects of vacuum and solar film on the performance of low concentration eccentric solar collector

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Mavd P. R. Teles ◽  
K.A.R. Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Low Concentration ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
Volume Method

Abstract Low concentration collectors are usually recommended for water heating and refrigeration systems. The literature reveals lack of information on numerical modeling, experimental data, and thermal performance of eccentric evacuated double tube solar collectors. This study is focused on eccentric solar collectors since this arrangement allows adequate concentration for achieving relatively high temperatures while having small size and occupying less space. The effects of the vacuum in the annular space and reflective film on the enhancement of working fluid heating and overall thermal performance were also assessed. An in-house numerical code using finite volume method was used to discretize the conservation equations and the predictions were validated by experimental results obtained from an experimental rig that was constructed and instrumented for outdoor tests. The experiments were performed in the city of Campinas-Brazil during the autumn season. The investigated versions of the eccentric double tube solar collector include a version with a reflective film and vacuum, a second version with a reflective film but without vacuum, a third arrangement without a reflective film but with vacuum and finally a version without both a reflective film and vacuum. The results showed that the version with reflective film and vacuum demonstrated high efficiency achieving 89%. The lowest efficiency of 42% was achieved by the version without both reflective film and vacuum. The comparative analysis of the four versions shows that the incorporation of reflective film increases the collector efficiency by 28%, while the vacuum increases the efficiency by about 1.3%.

INFLUENCE OF WORKING FLUID ON THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF THERMOSYPHONS FOR APPLICATION IN HIGH PRESSURE VACUUM TUBE SOLAR COLLECTORS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Antonio Bartmeyer ◽  
Victor Vaurek Dimbarre ◽  
Pedro Leineker Ochoski Machado ◽  
PAULO HENRIQUE DIAS DOS SANTOS ◽  
Thiago Antonini Alves
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Vacuum Tube

A Numerical Model for Thermal Performance of an Unglazed Transpired Solar Collector

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeed Moaveni ◽  
Patrick A. Tebbe ◽  
Louis Schwartzkopf ◽  
Joseph Dobmeier ◽  
Joseph Gehrke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Heating Unit ◽  
Plate Temperature ◽  
Building Wall

In this paper, we will present a numerical model for estimating the thermal performance of unglazed transpired solar collectors located on the Breck School campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The solar collectors are installed adjacent to the southeast facing wall of a field house. The collectors preheat the intake air before entering the primary heating unit. The solar collector consists of 8 separate panels (absorber plates). Four fans are connected to the plenum that is created by the absorber plates and the adjoining field house wall. All fresh air for the field house is provided by the solar collectors before being filtered and heated by four, independent two stage natural gas fired heaters. Moreover, the following data were collected onsite using a data acquisition system: indoor field house space temperature, ambient air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, the plenum exit air temperature, the absorber plate temperature, and the air temperatures inside the plenum. The energy balance equations for the collector, the adjacent building wall, and the plenum are formulated. The numerical model is used to predict the air temperature rise inside the plenum, recaptured heat loss from the adjoining building wall, energy savings, and the efficiency of the collectors. The results of the numerical model are then compared to the results obtained from the onsite measurements; which are in good agreement. The model presented in this paper is simple yet accurate enough for architects and engineers to use it with ease to predict the thermal performance of a collector.

Investigating the Effect of Al2O3/Water Nanofluid on the Efficiency of a Thermosyphon Flat-Plate Solar Collector

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Nabeel A. Negm ◽  
Ahmed A. Abdel-Rehim ◽  
Ahmed A. A. Attia
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Energy Conversion Efficiency ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector

The world is still dependent on fossil fuels as a continuous and stable energy source, but rising concerns for depletion of these fuels and the steady increase in demand for clean “green” energy have led to the rapid growth of the renewable energy field. As one of the most available energy sources with high energy conversion efficiency, solar energy is the most prominent of these energies as it also has the least effect on the environment. Flat plate collectors are the most common solar collectors, while their efficiency is limited by their absorber’s effectiveness in energy absorption and the transfer of this energy to the working fluid. The efficiency of flat plate solar collectors can be increased by using nanofluids as the working fluid. Nanofluids are a relatively recent development which can greatly enhance the thermophysical properties of working fluids. In the present study, the effect of using Al2O3/Water nanofluid as the working fluid on the efficiency of a thermosyphon flat-plate solar collector was experimentally investigated. The results of this experiment show an increase in efficiency when using nanofluids as the working fluid compared to distilled water. It was found that Al2O3/water nanofluids are a viable enhancement for the efficiency of flat-plate solar collectors.

scholarly journals Heat transfer in a low latitude flat-plate solar collector

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-591
Author(s):  
C.O.C. Oko ◽  
S.N. Nnamchi
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Fluid Temperature ◽  
Port Harcourt ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
One Year ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector

Study of rate of heat transfer in a flat-plate solar collector is the main subject of this paper. Measurements of collector and working fluid temperatures were carried out for one year covering the harmattan and rainy seasons in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, which is situated at the latitude of 4.858oN and longitude of 8.372oE. Energy balance equations for heat exchanger were employed to develop a mathematical model which relates the working fluid temperature with the vital collector geometric and physical design parameters. The exit fluid temperature was used to compute the rate of heat transfer to the working fluid and the efficiency of the transfer. The optimum fluid temperatures obtained for the harmattan, rainy and yearly (or combined) seasons were: 317.4, 314.9 and 316.2 [K], respectively. The corresponding insolation utilized were: 83.23, 76.61 and 79.92 [W/m2], respectively, with the corresponding mean collector efficiency of 0.190, 0.205 and 0.197 [-], respectively. The working fluid flowrate, the collector length and the range of time that gave rise to maximum results were: 0.0093 [kg/s], 2.0 [m] and 12PM - 13.00PM, respectively. There was good agreement between the computed and the measured working fluid temperatures. The results obtained are useful for the optimal design of the solar collector and its operations.

Testing and Analysis of a Heat-Pipe Solar Collector

1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ribot ◽  
R. D. McConnell
Keyword(s):  
Heat Pipe ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Heat Pipes ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Empirical Tests ◽  
Heat Transfer System ◽  
Evacuated Tube ◽  
Glass Heat ◽  
Theoretical Analyses

We developed an integral heat-pipe/evacuated-tube solar collector in which the inner receiver tubes form the evaporator sections of glass heat pipes. This paper describes both theoretical analyses and empirical tests, comparing the performance of the glass heat-pipe solar collector with one of today’s high efficiency evacuated-tube solar collectors. The comparison demonstrates that the performance of the two collectors is effectively identical. The testing and analysis indicate that the glass-wick-type glass heat pipe is an effective heat transfer system for evacuated-tube solar collectors.

Investigation on the Optimum Volume-Filling Ratio of a Loop Thermosyphon Solar Water-Heating System

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Gang Pei ◽  
Qunzhi Zhu ◽  
Jie Ji
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Distribution ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Filling Ratio ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Solar Water Heating ◽  
Volume Filling ◽  
Solar Water ◽  
Optimum Volume

Volume-filling ratio of the working fluid has a predominant effect on the system performance of a closed two-phase solar water-heating (SWH) system. To study this effect, a prototype of a loop thermosyphon SWH system, which uses remolded flat-plate solar collector as the evaporator and the coil pipe in the water tank as the condenser, was set up. A set of long-term outdoor experiments under 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 70% volume-filling ratios were conducted in this paper. R600a was used as working fluid. Loop thermosyphon solar collector thermal performance and system thermal performance under different volume-filling ratios, including the temperature distribution of loop thermosyphon evaporator, were presented. It is shown that the loop thermosyphon solar collector and the system had a better thermal performance than the conventional ones under 30% and 50% volume-filling ratio, and the loop thermosyphon evaporator had an even temperature distribution when the volume-filling ratio was higher than 30%. The optimum volume filing ratio lies in between 30% and 50% of the whole system volume.

Performance of the Flat Plate Solar Collector Operated with Water-Al2O3 Nanofluid

2016 ◽  
Vol 831 ◽  
pp. 181-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz T. Cieśliński ◽  
Bartosz Dawidowicz ◽  
Aleksandra Popakul
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Base Fluid ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Thermal Characteristics ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Recent Method ◽  
Flat Plate Solar Collector

Solar collectors is one of the technologies absorbing energy from solar beam and utilizing it for heating purposes, displacing the need to burn fossil fuels. There are many ways to improve effectiveness of the solar collectors [1,2]. Recent method to absorb more heat from the solar beam is to modify thermal characteristics of the working fluid. For this purpose one can use nanofluids, i.e. suspensions of metallic or nonmetallic nanoparticles in a base fluid [3].

scholarly journals Effect of Glass Thickness on Performance of Flat Plate Solar Collectors for Fruits Drying

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramadhani Bakari ◽  
Rwaichi J. A. Minja ◽  
Karoli N. Njau
Keyword(s):  
Flat Plate ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Heat Losses ◽  
Solar Collectors ◽  
Glass Thickness ◽  
North Direction ◽  
Clear Glass ◽  
Collector Efficiency ◽  
Different Thickness

This study aimed at investigating the effect of thickness of glazing material on the performance of flat plate solar collectors. Performance of solar collector is affected by glaze transmittance, absorptance, and reflectance which results into major heat losses in the system. Four solar collector models with different glass thicknesses were designed, constructed, and experimentally tested for their performances. Collectors were both oriented to northsouth direction and tilted to an angle of 10° with the ground toward north direction. The area of each collector model was 0.72 m2with a depth of 0.15 m. Low iron (extra clear) glass of thicknesses 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, and 6 mm was used as glazing materials. As a control, all collector performances were analysed and compared using a glass of 5 mm thickness and then with glass of different thickness. The results showed that change in glass thickness results into variation in collector efficiency. Collector with 4 mm glass thick gave the best efficiency of 35.4% compared to 27.8% for 6 mm glass thick. However, the use of glass of 4 mm thick needs precautions in handling and during placement to the collector to avoid extra costs due to breakage.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document