Training on Solar Thermal Design for Engineers

Organized by:
Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC)
National Rural and Renewable Energy Program (NRREP)

Jointly conducted by:
Centre for Energy Studies, IOE/TU, and

Solar Energy Foundation (SEF Nepal)
1
th
- 2
th
June 2014, Kathmandu, Nepal
Working Principle and Components of
Good Solar Hot Water System
Prof. Tri Ratna Bajracharya, Ph.D.
Director
Centre for Energy Studies
Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University
Contents of Presentation
Introduction
Modes of Heat Transfer
Working principle of SWH
Components of good SWH

Simple integral type SWH
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/283635/
66_beer_bottles_land_son_in_hot_water.html?cat=16
3
Typical solar water heaters in Market
Flat plate SWH
Vaccum tube SWH
4
What are the components that make a Solar
Water Heater work?

5
How does the heat transfer takes place in
SWH?
Radiation
Transmission through cover plate!
Incident radiation absorbed by the absorber plate!
Conduction
Heat transfer from absorber plate up to riser tube!
Heat losses from plate to surroundings
Convection
Heat transfer within fluid in the riser pipe!
Heat loss from the absorber plate to the surrounding
Heat loss from the insulation to the surrounding
6
How does heat transfer takes place in SWH?
7
Conduction Heat Transfer
Q = KA T/ X
Q = heat energy; K = thermal conductivity
T
1
= source temperature; T
2
= sink temperature
X = thickness; A = heat transfer area of the plate.
Q
X
A
T
1
T
2
Resistance
X/K
Current = Q/A

T
2
Q/A = T
1
-T
2
/ (X/K)
T
1
8
Convection Heat Transfer
Q = hA T
Q = heat energy; h = convective heat tr. coefficient
T
1
= plate temperature; T
2
= air temperature
A = Area of the plate (heat transfer area)
Q
A
T
1
T
2

Resistance
1/h
Current = Q/A

T
2
Q/A = T
1
-T
2
/ (1/h)
T
1
Surrounding air
9
Radiation Heat Transfer
Reflectivity () = G
r
/G
i
,
Absorptivity () = G
a
/G
i

Transmissivity () = G
t
/G
i

+ + = 1
Incident
radiation (G
i
)
Reflected
Radiation (G
r
)
Absorbed
radiation (G
a
)
Transmitted
radiation (G
t
)
10
Radiation Heat Transfer Contd.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
11
Radiation Heat Transfer Contd.
Radiation vs
wavelength wrt.
temperature
12
Radiation Heat Transfer Contd.

c = x

longer wavelength lower frequency
shorter wavelength higher frequency

High temperature body high , short
Lower temp. lower , longer
13
Solar Spectra
14
Working Principle of SWH
Hot Water
Outlet for
Use
Cold Water
Supply
Cold water inlet
in Collector
Hot water outlet
from Collector
Storage Tank
Collector
H
e
i
g
h
t

Temperature
1
2
4
3
1
2
3
4
Hot (Less dense
expanded fluid)
Cold (Dense fluid)
Principle of
Thermosyphon flow
15
Thermal Analysis
Useful heat gain by the collector = A[
p
G-U
L
(T
p
-T
a
)]
16
Components of Good
SWH
heat storage
heat
transport
system
heat
exchanger
cold water supply
connection to hot
water tap
control unit
power
supply
with insulation
expansion
vessel
backup heater
thermostat
air release
valve
(blockable)
pressure
release
valve
(8 atm)
c
h
e
c
k

v
a
l
v
e

Forced-flow versus natural circulation SHW
systems
forced flow
+ better performance
+ can be installed in large systems
+ allows independent location of collector and hot water tank
requires more components
needs electrical energy for pumping and control
is more expensive
natural circulation (thermosiphon)
+ simple and require less components
+ work without active control equipment
+ cheaper
not suitable for large systems
less efficient
storage tank must be located above the collectors

Energy Balance
Hot water requirement
Energy gained by cold water = Energy Loss
by hot water, i.e.
m
1
C(T
m
-T
c
) = m
2
C(T
h
-T
m
)
i.e.= Mass of water (kg) x Specific heat of water x Temperature diff. (K).
T
c
= Temp of cold water; T
m
= Temp of mixed water, T
h
= temp of hot water

Specific heat of water = 4.2kJ/kg.K
Assume: 1 kg water = 1 liter water
21
SWH Sizing
Purpose



Medium
Consumption
per day per
person
Maximum
Consumption
per day per
person
Modest domestic

Comfortable standard

High Standard

Children hostel

Hospital (town)

Hostel (Luxury)
20-40

40-60

60-120

40-60

70-100

Up to 200
30-60

60-90

90-180

60-80

100-150

Up to 300
22
Different SWH systems
23
Pumped circulation between tank and
collector
24
Closed loop with internal heat
exchanger
25
Closed loop with jacket
27
Pumped circulation and natural
circulation from tank
28
Email address: triratna@ioe.edu.np

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