Performance Analysis of Solar Water Heater in Multipurpose Solar Heating System

Abstract

Of all the renewable sources of energy available, solar thermal energy is the most abundant one and is available in both direct as well as indirect forms. In order to increase the thermal performance of solar collectors, the multipurpose solar collectors were investigated experimentally by the storage tank of the conventional solar water collector is modified as riser tubes and header. It is fitted in the bottom of the solar air heater as an absorber in the normal air heater. The thermal performance of thermosyphon flat plate solar water heater was investigated on both summer and winter seasons. The maximum daily average of 72.05%, 0.0316 kg/sm2and 0.873 m/s were recorded for the relative humidity, mass flow rate and wind speed at summer season respectively. Corresponding figure at for winter was 19.5 % 0.0295 kg/sm2and 0.722 m/s respectively. A minimum daily average of 11.23% and 0.384 m/s for the relative humidity and wind speed respectively. These results show that the mass flow rate obtained was a function of solar radiation and relative humidity. The less humid the ambient air becomes, the higher the heat gained by the system hence higher water flow rate. The maximum value of relative humidity obtained is due to low solar radiation on winter season. The heat removal factor (FR) and collector efficiency factor (Fo) were found to be higher for Multipurpose solar water heater as compared to conventional solar water heaters for summer as well as winter season. These factors for Multipurpose solar water heater were more during summer and winter.