Increase the heating capacity of solar water heaters through two conditions of placing paraffin in copper tubes

Abstract

Abstract Nowadays, Energy is an essential requirement for daily activities. Indonesians use solar energy for various activities such as electricity, water heaters, and dryers. Solar collectors are devices that absorb solar energy and convert it into heat energy. Solar energy heats copper pipes and water passes through heat tubes induces an increase in water temperature. The increase in heating capacity in this experiment was carried out by adding paraffin (as thermal storage material) into a tube in a solar collector. Solar water heaters equipped with solar collectors (called cylindrical trough collectors) have been developed in this experiment. Paraffin placed in the copper tube with two conditions. They are called Collector A and Collector B. The effect of two conditions of placing paraffin in copper tubes on the water-out temperature has been studied in this experiment. The result shows that the highest water temperature found with 56°C in collector A. It is due to the highest solar radiation intensity also record at 1,289 W/m2 (1:00 PM). While Collector B only produces the water-out temperature of 52°C at 1:00 PM. The conclusion shows that the position of paraffin in tubes with Collector A can increase the water-out temperature in the solar water heating system if compared with the collector.