Chapter 7

1. Evaluate the performance of an Alternate Energy Technologies AE-21E flat plate

solar collector (Figure 7.10) for 21 February at 40-degrees north latitude. The water
inlet temperature is 60 F, and the ambient temperature varies from 25 F at 7 am (solar
time) to 45 F at solar noon to 35 degrees at 5 pm (solar time). The collector is inclined
at 40 degrees from the horizontal. Metrics of interest include the hourly efficiency, the
hourly solar energy collected, and the percent of solar energy captured.
Hour-by-hour flat plate solar collector analysis.
40o N. Latitude 21 February
Determine the performance of a Alternate Energy Technologies AE-21.
Enter information about the flat plate solar collector (obtained for SRCC web site).
2 2
Area := 20.73 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 20.73 ft F := R

BTU
Intercept := 0.66 Slope := 1.123
2
hr ft F
Setup vectors for I (solar irradiation), Tin, Tamb . Obtained from weather data base.

ORIGIN 1 i := 1 .. 11

21 60 25
122 60 30

205 60 35
267 60 40
60 43
306 BTU
I := 319 Tin := 60 F Tamb := 45 F
306 ft2 hr 60 45

267 60 43
205 60 41
122 60 38

21 60 35
Calculate the solar collector efficiency. 1
1 0
BTU Tin Tamb 2 0.384
:= 0.66 1.123
2 I 3 0.523
hr ft F 4 0.576

i := i if i > 0 = 5 0.598
6 0.607
0 otherwise 7 0.605
8 0.588
9 0.556
10 0.457
11 0
 1
1 0
2 970.786
Calculate the useful energy harvested. 3 2.223103
4 3.187103

Quseful := ( AreaTot I ) 5 3.791103 BTU
Quseful =
6 4.015103 hr
7 3.837103
8 3.257103
9 2.362103
10 1.157103
11 0

The daily harvested energy is the sum of the hourly harvested energy.

9
QTotal :=
(Q useful
i
1 hr ) kWh := 1000 watt hr QTotal = 6.929 kWh
i= 1

Find the percent of incident solar energy captured.

(Q useful
i
100 )
i= 1
percent := percent = 56.521
9

(AreaTot Ii)
i= 1
2. Evaluate the performance of a Heliodyne Gobi 408 flat plate solar collector
(performance characteristics available from the SRCC web site) for 21 January at 32-
degrees north latitude. The water inlet temperature is 58 F, and the ambient
temperature varies from 25 F at 7 am (solar time) to 45 F at solar noon to 35 degrees at
5 pm (solar time). The collector is inclined at 32 degrees from the horizontal. Metrics of
interest include the hourly efficiency, the hourly solar energy collected, and the percent
of solar energy captured.

Hour-by-hour flat plate solar collector analysis.

32o N. Latitude 21 January

Determine the performance of a Heliodyne Gobi 408.

Enter information about the flat plate solar collector (obtained for SRCC web site).
2 2
Area := 32.23 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 32.23 ft F := R

BTU
Intercept := 0.70 Slope := 0.70
2
hr ft F
Setup vectors for I (solar irradiation), Tin, Tamb . Obtained from weather data base.

ORIGIN 1 i := 1 .. 9

106 58 25
193 58 30
256 58 35
58 40
295 BTU
I := 308 Tin := 58 F Tamb := 45 F
295 ft2 hr 58 43

256 58 41
193 58 38
106 58 35

0.482
Calculate the solar collector efficiency. 0.598
0.637

BTU Tin Tamb 0.657
:= 0.70 0.70 = 0.67

2
hr ft F
I
0.664

0.654
0.627
0.548
 1.647 3
10
3
3.723 10

5.257 3
10
Calculate the useful energy harvested.
6.249 3
10

Quseful := ( AreaTot I ) Quseful = 6.655 3 BTU
10
hr
3
6.317 10
3
5.392 10
3
3.903 10
3
1.873 10

The daily harvested energy is the sum of the hourly harvested energy.
9
QTotal :=
(Q useful
i
1 hr ) kWh := 1000 watt hr QTotal = 12.021 kWh
i= 1

Find the percent of incident solar energy captured.

(Q useful
i
100 )
i= 1
percent := percent = 63.376
9

(AreaTot Ii)
i= 1
3. An office building in Meridian, MS is to employ Alternate Energy Technologies AE-
21E flat plate solar collectors (Figure 7.10) for space and hot water heating. The
collectors will be mounted facing south tilted at the same angle as the latitude. The
estimated monthly load is provided in the following table:
Month Load
(1000 MJ)
January 108
February 100
March 80
April 60
May 20
June 15
July 15
August 15
September 15
October 25
November 60
December 95

The solar system is to provide all the hot water heating requirements for the summer
months and a yearly solar heating fraction of 50 percent.
(a) How many AE-21E solar collectors are needed to meet the specifications
(b) If natural gas cost $13 per million Btu, how much is saved by the system?
ORIGIN 1

Set up all input parameters on a monthly basis using the range variable i:
6
i := 1 .. 12 MJ := 10 J

Define month in terms of days.

31 jan
28 feb
31 mar
30 apr

31 may
30 jun
month := day
31 jul
31 aug
30 sep

31 oct
30 nov
31 dec

 The monthly-average conditions from NREL are used to obtain solar and weather data for
the location, Meridian, MS, in this case. The load must come from building information.
kW hr MJ
I := 1 I = 3.6
2 2
m day m day
Irradiation Load Average Temperature
(daily) (monthly) C

3.6 108 7.2

4.4 100 9.4
5.0 80 13.7
5.6 60 17.8

5.6 20 21.8
5.6 3.6 MJ 15 25.6
I := Load := 1000 MJ Tamb := C
5.4 m2 day 15 27.2
5.5 15 27.0
5.2 15 24.1

5.2 25 17.8
4.1 60 13.1
3.5 95 9.1

Insert solar collector characteristics:

Number := 107
W 2
FR := 0.66 FRUL := 6.37 A := 1.926Number m
2
m C

Implement the f-chart analysis using the definitions of X and Y.

Compute X and Y:

A month
X := 0.97FRUL ( 100 C Tamb) Y := A 0.96 0.97FR I
month

Load Load
 1 1
1 2.931 1 0.471
2 2.791 2 0.562
3 3.679 3 0.883
4 4.522 4 1.277
5 13.335 5 3.958
X= 6 16.371 Y= 6 5.107
7 16.553 7 5.089
8 16.598 8 5.183
9 16.701 9 4.742
10 11.214 10 2.94
11 4.78 11 0.935
12 3.263 12 0.521

Calculate f (the solar fraction per month) based on the f-chart correlation:

( 2 2
f := 1.029 Y 0.065 X 0.245 Y + 0.0018 X + 0.0215 Y
3)
1
1 0.258
f := f if f < 1
i i i 2 0.337
1 otherwise 3 0.518
4 0.702
If solar will more than satisfy the load, set f = 1.
5 1
f= 6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
10 0.951
11 0.496
12 0.28

Determine the monthly load supplied by solar system. Estimate the yearly solar fraction.

Loadsolar := ( f Load)
 1
1 2.783104 12

2 3.371104 (Load solar

i
100 )
i= 1
3 4.143104 percent :=
12
4 4.212104
5 2104 Load
i
Loadsolar = 6 MJ i= 1
1.5104
7 1.5104 percent = 50.193
8 1.5104
9 1.5104
10 2.378104
11 2.974104
12 2.655104

Part (a): The number of collectors required is 107. The resulting solar fraction is 50.2
percent.
12

4
TotalSolar := Loadsolar TotalSolar = 8.477 10 kWh
i
i= 1
TotalSolar 3
Savings := 13 Savings = 3.76 10
6
10 BTU

Part (b): The total saving for the system is $3760 per year.
 4. Work problem 2 for a New England, a Midwest, and a Pacific-northwest
locations. Contrast and discuss the results for the different locations.

Problem 2 addresses a single day performance of a specificied solar collector. The weather data
provided in the textbook is for increments of 8 degrees in latatude with no other geographic location.
For this problem different locations will be assessed by evaluating the performance at 32, 40, and 48
degrees. Weather data will be shown for the different latitudes, and the results placed in a table. In
order to provide a basis for comparison, the inlet water temperature and the air temperature
distribution was not changed.
Hour-by-hour flat plate solar collector analysis. 21 January

Determine the performance of a Heliodyne Gobi 408.

Enter information about the flat plate solar collector (obtained for SRCC web site).
2 2
Area := 32.23 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 32.23 ft F := R

BTU
Intercept := 0.70 Slope := 0.70
2
hr ft F
Setup vectors for I (solar irradiation), Tin, Tamb . Obtained from weather data base.

ORIGIN 1 i := 1 .. 9

106 74 19 58 25
193 171 132 58 30
256 237 206 58 35
58 40
295 BTU 277 BTU 249 BTU
I := 308 I := 391 I := 364 Tin := 58 F Tamb := 45 F
295 ft2 hr 277 ft2 hr 249 ft2 hr 58 43

256 237 206 58 41
193 171 132 58 38
106 74 19 58 35

32 degrees 40 degrees 48 degrees 0

0.552
Calculate the solar collector efficiency. 0.622

BTU Tin Tamb 0.649
:= 0.70 0.70 i := i if i > 0 = 0.675

2
hr ft F
I
0 otherwise
0.658

0.642
0.594
0
 0
3
2.346 10
3
Calculate the useful energy harvested. 4.129 10
3

Quseful := ( AreaTot I ) 5.212 10
Quseful = 7.919 3 BTU
10
hr
3
5.279 10

4.264 10
3

2.527 10
3

0
The daily harvested energy is the sum of the hourly harvested energy.

9
QTotal :=
(Q useful
i
1 hr ) kWh := 1000 watt hr QTotal = 9.283 kWh
i= 1

Find the percent of incident solar energy captured.

(Q useful
i
100 )
i= 1
percent := percent = 62.36
9

(AreaTot Ii)
i= 1

Latititude QTotal percent

32 10.75 kWh 56.68

40 11.37 kWh 63.03
48 9.38 kWh 62.36
Under the stated assumptions, the energy collected varies with latitude while the percent of solar
energy captured is 57-62 percent.
 5. Work problem 2 using several different flat-plate solar collectors from the
SCCR results reported on the SRCC website. Discuss the effect slope and intercept for
the conditions of problem 2.

Hour-by-hour flat plate solar collector analysis.

32o N. Latitude 21 January
The only change in the solution for Problem 2 is that performance information on several different
solar collectors will be used. The SRCC data base is used.

Enter information about the flat plate solar collector (obtained for SRCC web site). F := R

NC-32.
2 2
Area := 34.20 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 34.2 ft

BTU
Intercept := 0.50 Slope := 0.90
2
hr ft F
Heliodyne Gobi 408.
2 2
Area := 32.23 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 32.23 ft

BTU
Intercept := 0.70 Slope := 0.70
2
hr ft F
AES AE-21.
2 2
Area := 20.73 ft AreaTot := 1 Area AreaTot = 20.73 ft

BTU
Intercept := 0.66 Slope := 1.123
2
hr ft F
Setup vectors for I (solar irradiation), Tin, Tamb . Obtained from weather data base.

ORIGIN 1 i := 1 .. 9

106 58 25
193 58 30
256 58 35
58 40
295 BTU
I := 308 Tin := 58 F Tamb := 45 F
295 ft2 hr 58 43

256 58 41
193 58 38
106 58 35

 0.31
Calculate the solar collector efficiency. 0.497
0.559

Tin Tamb 0.591
:= Intercept + Slope = 0.613
I 0.603

0.585
0.544
0.416

Calculate the useful energy harvested.

682.038


Quseful := ( AreaTot I ) 1.989 103
3
i := i if i > 0 2.967 10
3
0 otherwise 3.617 10
Quseful = 3.911 103
BTU
hr
3
3.687 10
3.107 103

2.175 103

914.836

The daily harvested energy is the sum of the hourly harvested energy.

9
QTotal :=
(Q useful
i
1 hr ) kWh := 1000 watt hr QTotal = 6.755 kWh
i= 1
Find the percent of incident solar energy captured.
9

(Q useful
i
100 )
i= 1
percent := percent = 55.374
9

(AreaTot Ii)
i= 1

Collector QTotal percent

NC-32 8.35 kWh 41.484 The NC-32 has the smallest

Gobi 408 12.02 kWh 63.376 intercept of the three
AET AE-21 6.76 kWh 55.374 collectors.
6. An office building in a specified location is to employ Heliodyne Gobi 408 flat plate
solar collectors for space and hot water heating. The estimated monthly load is
provided in the following table:

Month Load
(1000 MJ)

January 130
February 120
March 100
April 70
May 25
June 20
July 20
August 20
September 20
October 25
November 70
December 105

The solar system is to provide all the hot water heating requirements for the summer
months and a yearly solar heating fraction of 50 percent.
(a) How many Gobi 408 solar collectors are needed to meet the specifications
(b) If natural gas cost $9 per million Btu, how much is saved by the system?
This problem was set up to permit an instructor to select the location. The problem will be worked
using Meridian, MS weather data. To select another city, use the NREL data base for weather
information.
ORIGIN 1
6
Set up all input parameters on a monthly basis using the range variable i: i := 1 .. 12 MJ := 10 J
 31 jan
Define month in terms of days. 28 feb
31 mar
30 apr

31 may
30 jun
month := day
31 jul
31 aug
30 sep

31 oct
30 nov
31 dec

The monthly-average conditions from NREL are used to obtain solar and weather data for
the location, Meridian, MS, in this case. The load must come from building information.
kW hr MJ
I := 1 I = 3.6
2 2
m day m day
Irradiation Load Average Temperature
(daily) (monthly) C

3.6 130 7.2

4.4 120 9.4
5.0 100 13.7
5.6 70 17.8

5.6 25 21.8
5.6 3.6 MJ 20 25.6
I := Load := 1000 MJ Tamb := C
m2 day
5.4

20
27.2

5.5 20 27.0
5.2 20 24.1

5.2 25 17.8
4.1 70 13.1
3.5 105 9.1

Insert solar collector characteristics:
Number := 62
W 2
FR := 0.70 FRUL := 4.2 A := 2.994Number m
2
m C
Implement the f-chart analysis using the definitions of X and Y.

Compute X and Y:

X := 0.97FRUL ( 100 C Tamb)
A month
Y := A 0.96 0.97FR I
month

Load Load

1 1
1 1.446 1 0.374
2 1.381 2 0.447
3 1.748 3 0.675
4 2.302 4 1.045
5 6.336 5 3.025
X= 6 7.292 Y= 6 3.659
7 7.373 7 3.646
8 7.393 8 3.713
9 7.439 9 3.398
10 6.66 10 2.809
11 2.433 11 0.765
12 1.754 12 0.45

Calculate f (the solar fraction per month) based on the f-chart correlation:

( 2 2
f := 1.029 Y 0.065 X 0.245 Y + 0.0018 X + 0.0215 Y
3)
1
1 0.261
f := f if f < 1
i i i 2 0.327
1 otherwise 3 0.482
4 0.692
If solar will more than satisfy the load, set f = 1.
5 1
f= 6 1
7 1
8 1
9 1
10 1
11 0.506
12 0.307

Determine the monthly load supplied by solar system. Estimate the yearly solar fraction.

Loadsolar := ( f Load)
 1
12
1 3.399104
2 3.921104 (Load solar
i
100 )
i= 1
3 4.816104 percent :=
12
4 4.847104
5 2.5104 Load
i
Loadsolar = 6 MJ i= 1
2104
7 2104 percent = 50.69
8 2104
9 2104
10 2.5104
11 3.543104
12 3.224104

Part (a): The number of collectors required is 62. The resulting solar fraction is 50.7 percent.

12

5
TotalSolar := Loadsolar TotalSolar = 1.021 10 kWh
i
i= 1
TotalSolar 3
Savings := 9 Savings = 3.135 10
6
10 BTU

Part (b): The total saving for the system is $3135 per year.