Abstract

This laboratory experiment on a solar thermal collector is analytically presented and discussed with the results obtained during the experiment. A solar thermal collector has been tested in terms of its efficiency in laboratory conditions. The main purpose of this report is to present the efficiency curve and the investigation of its features. It has been evaluated the performance of the solar thermal collector in relation to internal and external factors of the system. The levels of validity of the experiment and any consequences of the results have been also discussed. The results showed that the average collector efficiency of %, an average daily solar radiation of w/C, and total average daily heat gain by water in collector is w/c. It has been concluded that the efficiency of this type of technology can be increased in a significant way.

Introduction
Solar power is the flow of energy from the sun. The primary forms of solar energy are heat and light. Sunlight and heat are transformed and absorbed by the environment. Some of these transformations result in renewable energy flows such as waves. A solar thermal collector is a type of solar energy system for medium to high temperature collection. Most solar thermal energy systems consist of a solar collector, a control unit with a pump and a storage tank for the hot water. Solar thermal collector, which consists of a number of tubes, is a device that converts solar radiant energy into heat. The operation of a solar thermal collector is based on the absorption of solar heat, and its circulation through the system, in order that a working fluid can be heated. An enclosed vacuum system operates when solar radiation reaches the tubes. The water runs through the collector in a circuit that is connected to a heat exchanger in the storage tank. When this water is getting warmer than the water of the storage tank, the control unit activates the pump, which pumps it through the heat exchanger. The cooled circuit water is pumped to the collector and the process begins again. The heat absorbed by the absorber plates of the tubes is then transferred to the circulated water by means of heat pipes. The purpose of this experiment is to understand the mechanism, delivering hot water to the storage and made the heat available for heating through convection and radiation, of solar thermal collector for heating purposes in the improved performance for wider applications. The major applications of solar thermal energy at present are heating water for domestic use, and space heating of buildings. Today, domestic hot water can be efficiently provided, exploiting solar radiation by means of solar thermal collector technology. It is more preferable, compared to other solar thermal types, because of their minimum durability, construction, performance criteria and high efficiencies.

Conclusion

A solar water heating system has been designed and constructed a solar thermal collector is analytically presented and discussed with the results obtained during the experiment. Performance evaluation carried out indicates an overall system efficiency of 25.98% and absorber temperature of 72c. Efficiency of collector varies with water flow rates. As the water flow rate is increases the operating temperature decreases and heat gain by water reduced. The collector is more efficient at low radiations; 52.85% at 630.08 w/m2 and 51.00% at 739.40w/m2. This is obvious at lower operating temperatures for collectors Solar radiation, heat gain and collector temperature are highest between 1300hr and 1400hrs because of the collector tilt angle (optimum tilt angle=50) causing a larger percentage of incoming radiation to be incident on the collector. The system is efficient to be used for low temperature processes as pasteurization and also can be adapted for use in incubation. It can also found use in domestic hot water requirements. The amount of energy made available in the chamber through convection is low which is indicative of low overall system efficiency. The heat delivered to the storage at a daily average of 582.83 (KJ) is considerably higher than the convected heat in the oven which is the actual heat available for low temperature technological heat processes. This indicates that more heat is retained in water in storage than those delivered into the oven and thus accounted for the low overall system efficiency. An increase in the collector surface area, adequate lagging of the heat pipes, control of flow in pipe network within the heat exchanger and review of the bonding material to increase the surface area of contact of pipe with the aluminum casing to increase the temperature gradient in the classical fin element approach assumed such that more heat will be conducted and subsequently be radiated into the oven. Further research in these areas is currently being addressed.