EN671: Solar Energy Conversion Technology

Term Project Report

Topic Name:
Water Heater Using Solar Collectors

Team Members:
Harsh Raj, 190108019
Darshana Thakur, 190108017
Atharva Gupta, 190108009

ABSTRACT
Water heating is one of the major sources of energy consumption in households and

commercial buildings. The environment is significantly impacted by conventional

water heating systems that rely on energy sources like electricity or natural gas.

These systems are not sustainable. Alternatives to traditional water heaters that are

sustainable and beneficial to the environment include solar water heaters. This

study details the planning, building, and assessment of a solar-powered water heater

that employs solar collectors to heat water for home use. The performance,

effectiveness, and affordability of the system were assessed. The findings

demonstrated that the system had an average effectiveness of 65% in heating water

to the required temperature using solar energy. The system was discovered to be

economical, with a 4-year payback period. According to the study's findings, using

solar collectors to heat water can be a practical and long-lasting way to cut energy

use and combat climate change.

change.

INTRODUCTION

Since there is a rising need for energy, conventional energy sources are becoming

increasingly scarce and have a negative impact on the environment. Water heating is

one of the most frequent uses of energy in residential and commercial structures.

Approximately 18% of home energy use in the US is for water heating. The two main

energy sources for water heaters are electricity and natural gas. These energy

sources, however, are not environmentally friendly and have a big impact.

Alternatives to traditional water heaters that are sustainable and beneficial to the

environment include solar water heaters. Water Heater using Solar collectors is a

renewable energy technology that uses the sun's energy to heat water. The solar

collectors absorb the sun's energy and transfer it to the water in the storage tank,

which can then be used for various purposes such as bathing, washing, and heating.

Solar energy is captured by solar collectors, which then heat water for home use.

Both home and business uses are possible for solar water heaters. Solar water

heating has the potential to drastically cut energy use and greenhouse gas

emissions.

The objective of this report is to present the design, construction, and evaluation of a

water heater that uses solar collectors to capture solar energy and heat water for

domestic use. The system will be evaluated based on its performance, efficiency,

and cost-effectiveness.
 LITERATURE REVIEW

The usage of solar water heaters has been the subject of numerous investigations.

A solar water heating system was created and tested in a study by Wang et al.

(2020). A flat-plate solar collector, a water storage tank, and a pump made up the

system. With an average efficiency of 63%, the device was able to use solar energy

to heat the water to the necessary temperature.

The usage of solar water heaters has been the subject of numerous investigations.

A solar water heating system was created and tested in a study by Wang et al.

(2020). A flat-plate solar collector, a water storage tank, and a pump made up the

system. With an average efficiency of 63%, the device was able to use solar energy

to heat the water to the necessary temperature.

A solar water heater was created and tested in Saudi Arabia for a study by

Al-Ghamdi and Dincer (2019). A water storage tank, a pump, and a parabolic trough

solar collector made up the system. With an average efficiency of 58%, the system

was able to use solar energy to heat the water to the necessary temperature.

Numerous research have also been done on the viability of solar water heaters

economically. Khoshnevisan et al. (2018) examined the economic viability of solar

water heaters in Iran in their study. The study discovered that solar water heaters

had a payback period of 3-5 years and were economically viable.

In another study conducted by Arasu et al. (2017), the economic feasibility of solar

water heaters in India was analyzed. The study found that solar water heaters were

cost-effective, with a payback period of 2-3 years.

The water heater using solar collectors was designed and constructed for this study.

The system consisted of a flat-plate solar collector, a water storage tank, a pump,

and a control system. Usually, Solar thermal collectors absorb thermal energy from

incident solar radiation, and transfer to water or a working fluid. The four most

common collector types are:

• Flat Plate Collectors (FPCs)

• Evacuated Tube Collectors (ETCs)

• Integral Collector-Storage Systems (ICSS)

• Integrated Photovoltaic/ Thermal (PV/T) Collectors

But, in our case study, what we’re using to demonstrate the methodology is limited to

Flat-Plate Solar Collector. The solar collector was made of copper tubes and

aluminum fins, and it was designed to capture solar energy and heat water. The

water storage tank was made of stainless steel and was insulated to minimize heat

loss. The pump was used to circulate water from the storage tank to the solar

collector and back. The control system was used to monitor the temperature of the

water in the storage tank and control the operation of the pump.
The system was installed on the rooftop of a residential building in a sunny area. The

system was connected to the existing plumbing system, and it was used to provide

hot water for domestic use. The system was evaluated based on its performance,

efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Further, we’ll see in a bit detail about every single system component we’re using to

present your methodology:

Flat Plate Collectors (FPCs):

An insulated box with an absorber plate, a network of flow tubes, and a sheet of

translucent glass or plastic on top is called a flat plate collector. Most FPCs have

selectively coated absorber panels and copper flow tubes to minimise reflection.

As water or another working fluid travels through the network of flow tubes in

thermal contact with the absorber plate, FPCs transfer heat to it. The cover's

translucence reduces convectional heat loss. A typical FPC design is shown in the

image below.
A thermal efficiency of around 75% is achieved through studding. Since flat plate

collectors' thermal efficiencies are susceptible to variations in the surrounding

temperature, this should be regarded as the maximum possible value. The Drake's

Landing solar community project in Northern Coastal California, which uses an array

of 800 flat plate panels to heat space and water, has documented a thermal

efficiency range for the collection system (collectors and pipes) between 30-70%,

with an average of about 50%.

Storage Tanks:

The design and usage of water and working fluid storage tanks has a big influence

on how well solar water heating systems function thermally.

Temperature stratification and storage tank insulation both reduce thermal losses

from solar hot water heating systems. Particularly in colder months, thermal

insulation of tanks reduces losses to the ground and air. Temperature stratification

is a common design strategy used by home and community-scale solar water

heating systems to boost thermal efficiency.

The process of hotter, less dense water rising to the top of a column is known as

thermal stratification. Thermally stratified tanks are made to maintain a temperature

difference along the tank's axis. Water from the coldest section of the tank may be

recirculated through the collector array or heat exchanger, while hot water from the

hottest part of the tank may be released for consumption. Systems using stratified

tanks can supply around 30% more energy than systems that maintain a constant

tank temperature, according to modelling and physical investigations of solar hot

water heating systems.

The majority of solar water heating systems are not built to completely satisfy their

heat demands with solar energy due to financial and practical reasons. Instead,

systems employ an in-line auxiliary heater to guarantee an appropriate delivery

temperature while providing hot water at a low solar portion. Instead of being put in

line with the storage tank outlet pipe, auxiliary heaters can instead be built within

storage tanks. Tankless water heating systems are powerful enough to meet home

demand in the case of inadequate solar radiation or system failure.

In order to ensure that hot water can be delivered in the case of bad weather or

breakdown, backup heating units may be required for systems bigger than home

size.

Heat Exchangers and Heat Exchange Fluids:

In regions that frequently suffer extended freezing temperatures, closed systems

with freeze-resistant heat exchange fluids are necessary since most collectors are

not built to tolerate such pressures. A heat exchanger must be built between the

collection and storage/delivery loops since antifreeze agents are harmful as well.

Hydrocarbon oils, silicones, and combinations of glycol and water are often used

heat exchange fluids. Design of the system and the weather play a role in the heat

transfer fluid selection.

Types of Systems:

Systems: Active vs. Passive

heating system to move water or another working fluid through the collector array.

Pumps and powered control components are used by active systems to circulate

water or another working fluid. Direct systems, which circulate water via solar

thermal collectors, and closed systems, which employ a working fluid and heat

exchangers to transfer energy to stored water, are the two major active system

types.

The movement of water via collector arrays takes place passively, without the

utilisation of energy. Thermosiphon and integrated collector storage systems are the

two most popular categories of passive systems. Convection is used in

thermosiphon devices to move water. As a result of the system's internal

temperature gradient caused by the accumulation of solar thermal energy, there is a

differential in density, which produces a buoyant force. At the bottom of the array,

cool water replaces hot water as it travels from the collection array into a storage

tank. As long as there is a temperature (and hence a density) differential inside the

system, circulation takes place.

System Scale:

From household, single-residence systems to district-scale systems with thousands

of cubic metres of collecting area, SWH systems come in a variety of sizes. One of

the most crucial design factors, system scale affects the technologies used in

component selection, collector area, and storage capacity.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Solar energy was used by the solar-powered water heater to heat the water to the

desired temperature. The water in the storage tank was an average temperature of
60°C, which is adequate for home usage. The system's 65% average efficiency is

comparable to the efficiencies reported in earlier tests.

The solar collector, water storage tank, pump, and control system were all included

in the system's $2000 price tag. The anticipated $500 annual savings on energy

expenditures. The system's payback duration was 4 years, which is in line with

payback times mentioned in earlier research.

Weather conditions, the direction and tilt of the solar collector, and the water storage

tank's insulation were just a few of the variables that had an impact on the system's

performance. The system worked better on sunny days, and the solar collector's

position and tilt were adjusted to maximise solar energy absorption. To reduce heat

loss, the water storage tank's insulation was enhanced.

Fig. Solar Water Heater Components

The water heater using solar collectors was designed, constructed, and evaluated in

this study. The system was able to heat water to the desired temperature using solar

energy, with an average efficiency of 65%. The system was found to be

cost-effective, with a payback period of 4 years. This analysis is also intended to

present a feasible community scale. The findings of this study suggest that the use

of solar collectors for water heating can be an effective and sustainable solution for

reducing energy consumption and mitigating climate change.

Further, we also got to infer various uses of a Solar Water Heater, some of which are

listed below:

● SWHs may be used in households to generate hot water for bathing, cleaning,

and laundry. For home use, solar water heaters (SWHs) with capacities between

100 and 300 litres are suitable. Various industrial applications can also be

utilised for larger systems. Solar water heaters may provide hot water between

60 and 80 degrees Celsius.

● Benefits for the environment: A SWH with a 100-litre capacity may save 1.5

tonnes of carbon dioxide from being released annually.

● Payback period: The lifespan of SWHs is between 15 and 20 years. When

replacing electricity, furnace oil, or coal, the payback period ranges from 3 to 4

years, 4-5 years, and 6-7 years, respectively.

● Reduces the cost of energy production: Using 1000 SWHs with a 100-liter

capacity each can result in a peak load reduction of 1 MW.

● Electricity Saving: SWHs reduce the need for electric supply, which saves money

at a time when both its price and reliability are rising. Also, it’s non-polluting!
 REFERENCES

[1] Al-Ghamdi, S.G., & Dincer, I. (2019). Performance evaluation of a solar water

heater with PCM (phase change material) storage. Journal of Cleaner Production,

235, 1034-1044.

[2] Arasu, A., Chinnadurai, E., & Saravanan, R. (2017). Economic feasibility of solar

water heater for domestic applications in India: A review. Renewable and

Sustainable Energy Reviews, 76, 437-447.

[3] Farahat, S., & Al-Helal, I. (2018). Techno-economic assessment of solar water

heaters in Kuwait. Renewable Energy, 129, 729-736.

[4] Karatasou, S., Kyritsis, S., & Christodoulou, C. (2015). Performance and economic

analysis of solar water heaters. Energy Conversion and Management, 101, 258-266.

NOMENCLATURE AND ABBREVIATIONS:

°C: degree Celsius