Optimizing solar collector tilt angle to improve energy harvesting in a solar cooling system

Solar cooling systems are gaining popularity due to continuously increasing of energy costs around the world. However, there are still some factors that are hindering the installation of solar cooling systems on a larger scale. One being the cost associated with the solar collectors required to provide heat to the absorption chiller. This study demonstrates the possibility of reducing the number of solar panels in a residential solar cooling system based on evacuated tubes producing hot water at a low temperature (90 °C) and a water-ammonia absorption chiller.

Development of a Polymer-carbon Nanotubes based Economic Solar Collector

A low cost solar collector was developed by using polymeric components as opposed to metal and glass components of traditional solar collectors. In order to utilize polymers for the absorber of the solar collector, Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) has been added as a filler to improve the thermal conductivity and the solar absorptivity of polymers. The solar collector was designed as a multi-layer construction with considering the economic manufacturing. Through the mathematical heat transfer analysis, the performance and characteristics of the designed solar collector have been estimated. Furthermore, the prototypes of the proposed system were built and tested at a state-of-the-art solar simulator facility to evaluate the actual performance of the developed solar collector. The cost-effective polymer-CNT solar collector, which achieved efficiency as much as that of a conventional glazed flat plate solar panel, has been successfully developed.

Design, analysis and performance of a polymer-carbon nanotubes based economic solar collector

A low cost flat plate solar collector was developed by using polymeric components as opposed to metal and glass components of traditional flat plate solar collectors. In order to improve the thermal and optical properties of the polymer absorber of the solar collector, Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) were added as a filler. The solar collector was designed as a multi-layer construction with an emphasis on low manufacturing costs. Through the mathematical heat transfer analysis, the thermal performance of the collector and the characteristics of the design parameters were analyzed. Furthermore, the prototypes of the proposed collector were built and tested at a state-of-the-art solar simulator facility to evaluate its actual performance. The inclusion of CNT improved significantly the properties of the polymer absorber. The key design parameters and their effects on the thermal performance were identified via the heat transfer analysis. Based on the experimental and analytical results, the cost-effective polymer-CNT solar collector, which achieved a high thermal efficiency similar to that of a conventional glazed flat plate solar panel, was successfully developed.

LASER-TESTING RIG : Measurement System for evaluation of Shape of concentrating reflector for solar collector Absolicon X10

This Thesis project is a part of the all-round automation of production of concentrating solar PV/T systems Absolicon X10. ABSOLICON Solar Concentrator AB has been invented and started production of the prospective solar concentrated system Absolicon X10. The aims of this Thesis project are designing, assembling, calibrating and putting in operation the automatic measurement system intended to evaluate the shape of concentrating parabolic reflectors.On the basis of the requirements of the company administration and needs of real production process the operation conditions for the Laser testing rig were formulated. The basic concept to use laser radiation was defined.At the first step, the complex design of the whole system was made and division on the parts was defined. After the preliminary conducted simulations the function and operation conditions of the all parts were formulated.At the next steps, the detailed design of all the parts was conducted. Most components were ordered from respective companies. Some of the mechanical components were made in the workshop of the company. All parts of the Laser-testing rig were assembled and tested. Software part, which controls the Laser-testing rig work, was created on the LabVIEW basis. To tune and test software part the special simulator was designed and assembled.When all parts were assembled in the complete system, the Laser-testing rig was tested, calibrated and tuned.In the workshop of Absolicon AB, the trial measurements were conducted and Laser-testing rig was installed in the production line at the plant in Soleftea.

Report on IEA Task-14 activities on solar collector systems conference in Rome, 25-29 Jan. 1993

The memebers of IEA (International Energy Agency) Task 14 (Advaced Active Solar Systems) met in Rome during January 1993. The latest developments in several countries were presented and discussed during this meeting. This report describes briefly the recent work carried out on small scale systems in the Domestic Hot Water (DHW) working group of Task 14, as reported by the representatives from Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. Klaus Lorenz, SERC, attended the meeting as observer and presented our work on small-tube heat exchangers. Several participants expressed their interest. A summary of his presentation is included in this report.

A solar collector with the absorber divided by rectangular slots

A new solar absorber structure has been proposed and studied in this paper. The metal tubes running perpendicular to a set of parallel rectangular metal fins make the solar absorber with rectangular slots. Studies on the collector were theoretically carried out in the aspects of heat transfer, thermodynamics and . hydrodynamics. The calculating methods for calculating fin efficiency F and efficiency factors of the collector F' were obtained. The results showed that the new solar collector would have the higher efficiency and better performance at higher fluid temperature than that of the traditional flat-plate collectors. A collector prototype with the new structure was built and tested. The testing results agree with our theoretical results.

Development of a building integrated photovoltaic/thermal solar collector based on steel roofing

The use of onsite renewable energy cogeneration from structural building elements is a relatively new concept, and one that is gaining considerable interest in the building industry. In this study the design, development, testing and production methods for a novel building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPVT) solar energy cogeneration system are examined and discussed.

During the analysis of the design, adhesives (ADH), resistance seam welding (RSW) and autoclaving (ATC) were identified as the most appropriate for fabricating BIPVT panels for roofing and façade applications. Of these manufacturing methods ADH was found to be most suitable for low volume production systems due to its low capital cost.

Furthermore, a prototype panel was fabricated using ADH methods and exhibited good thermal performance. In addition it was shown, using experimental testing, that the performance of a BIPVT could be theoretically predicted using a one-dimensional heat transfer model. Furthermore, the model was used to suggest further improvements that could be made to the design. Finally, a transient simulation of the BIPVT was performed in TRNSYS and was used to illustrate the long term benefits of the system.

Application of the Hottel-Whillier equations to the analysis of a building integrated photovoltaic/thermal solar collector

The idea of combining photovoltaic and solar thermal collectors (PVT collectors) to provide electrical and heat energy is not new, however it is an area that has received only limited attention. With concern growing over energy sources and their usage, PVTs have become an area receiving more attention. Although PVTs are not as prevalent as solar thermal systems, the integration of photovoltaic and solar thermal collectors into the walls or roofing structure of a building could provide greater opportunity for the use of renewable solar energy technologies in domestic, commercial and industrial applications. As such, the design of a novel building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPVT) solar collector is theoretically analysed through the use of a modified Hottel-Whillier model. The thermal and electrical efficiency under a range of conditions are subsequently determined and results showing how key design parameters influence the performance of the BIPVT system are presented.

Designing a low cost solar collector system for process industry applications

New Zealand is a large producer and processor of primary products and has a climate with high levels of solar radiation. However, the use of solar energy for heating and cooling in the processing industries has received limited attention.
For this study, the design of a low cost solar collector is analysed and discussed. Furthermore, the methods for integrating the collector into water heating and cooling systems in a hypothetical processing environment are examined. An F-Chart analysis is used to simulate the performance of large-area arrays of the solar collector and to determine its potential contribution to heating and cooling loads.
The study shows that for a storage-based system, the contribution of solar energy is determined mainly by the collector area to storage volume ratio. It is suggested that this low cost collector could make a significant contribution to energy use in processing plants and may be an attractive future technology.

Numerical analysis of a modified evacuated tubes solar collector

The need for renewable energy sources, facing the consequences of Climate Change, results in growing investment for solar collectors’ use. Research in this field has accompanied this expansion and evacuated tube solar collector stands as an important study focus. Thus, several works have been published for representing the stratification of the fluid inside the tubes and the reservoir, as well as analytical modeling for the heat flow problem. Based on recent publications, this paper proposes the study of solar water heating with evacuated tubes, their operation characteristics and operating parameters. To develop this work, a computational tool will be used - in this case, the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. In possession of the implemented model, a numerical simulation will be performed to evaluate the behavior of the fluid within this solar collector and possible improvements to be applied in the model.

Analisys of thermal efficiency of a modified solar collector type evacuated tube

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Yearly average performance of the principal solar collector types /

"January 1981."

Analysis of the Solarus C-PVT solar collector and design of the new prototype

Tesi hau Solarus AB enpresaren konzentratzailedun eguzki kolektore fotovoltaiko termikoei (C-PVT) buruz doa eta bi helburu nagusi ditu. Lehena Solarus-eko oraingo diseinuaren alderaketak diseinatzea da, MaReCo (Maximum Reflector Collector) diseinuaren eta parabola puruaren alderaketa batzuekin batera. Diseinu hauetan eguzki zelulen ebaketa berriak daude barruan eta 4 busbar-eko eguzki zeluletan oinarritua dago. Honi esker analisi sakon bat egin ahalko da hargailu eta estruktura diseinuak konparatuz. Bigarren helburua Solarus AB-k Gävleko unibertsitatean (HiG) kokaturik dituen kolektoreen errendimendu elektriko eta termikoa aztertzean datza. Datuak simulazio eta software espezifikoen bidez lortu dira eta ondoren Microsoft Excel®-en aztertu. Bi proiektu txikiagoak egin dira ere enpresan, bata eguzki kolektore fotovoltaiko termikoen merkatuaren ikerketan datza eta bestea eguzki kolektoreen produkzio prozesuaren gida batean. Hargailuen eta estrukturaren diseinu berriak preparatuta utzi dira prototipoen hurreneko eraikuntzarako eta proiektuarekin jarraitzeko etorkizuneko lan bat planeatu da. Unibertsitateko instalakuntzaren analisiari dagokionez, errendimendu elektriko eta termikoa estimatuena baino nabarmenki txikiagoak izan dira.