System Performance of an Indirect Collector Storage Preheater in Series With a Conventional Electric Resistance Water Heater

Solar Energy ◽  
2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Boies ◽  
K. O. Homan
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Performance ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Electric Resistance ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Solar Fraction ◽  
Storage Volume ◽  
In Series

Solar integral collector storage (ICS) devices are a potentially low cost means of displacing a portion of the energy required for domestic water heating. However, since ICS systems are rarely used as a stand-alone system and are more typically utilized as a preheater for conventional water heaters, it is imperative to analyze the overall water heating system in order to determine the advantage of any improvements in the thermal performance of the ICS component. In particular, this paper analyzes the performance of a solar ICS heater, in divided and undivided storage configurations, in series with a conventional electric resistance water heater (ERWH) for a range of ICS storage volumes, heat exchanger NTU, initial ICS temperature, and ERWH storage volumes. The undivided storage configuration corresponds to the typical UPICS system whereas the divided storage configuration corresponds to a recently proposed concept for improving the thermal performance of the ICS device. The results show that the ICS preheater does provide significant increases in solar fraction when adequately sized. Although comparison of the divided to undivided storage concept, with the same total ICS storage volume, shows only modest gains of 5–10% in solar fraction, the ICS storage volume necessary to attain the same solar fraction is much less for the divided storage concept. The smaller required storage volume would, in turn, enable faster charging times and potentially higher initial temperatures thereby leading to even further improvements in overall system performance.

Experiences With Using Solar Photovoltaics to Heat Domestic Water

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian P. Dougherty ◽  
A. Hunter Fanney
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Solar Water Heating ◽  
Solar Water ◽  
Photovoltaic Modules ◽  
In Series

Abstract The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to make progress in increasing the efficiency while reducing the manufacturing costs of PV cells. Economies of scale are being realized as manufacturers expand their production capabilities. Products are commercially available that integrate photovoltaic cells within building façade, fenestration, and roofing components. Legislation and incentive programs by government and commercial entities are supporting both reduced first costs and greater rates of return. The combination of factors support improved cost-effectiveness. As this trend continues, more options for using PV become possible. One such application is a stand-alone, PV-direct, solar water heating application. Solar water heating can be effectively accomplished by directly using the DC power production from solar photovoltaic modules. A simple controller having multiple power relays connects the PV modules with different combinations of in-tank resistive elements. The controller actively changes the resistive combination so that the photovoltaic modules generate power at or near their maximum output. The technology, which has been patented and licensed, is applicable to configurations that use a single water heater and to two water heaters that are piped in series. Prototypes using both tank configurations have been in operation at four field sites. This paper emphasizes the single-tank application and the field results from installations in Maryland and Florida.

Inexpensive Performance Monitoring of Solar Domestic Water Heating Systems

1988 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Clausing
Keyword(s):  
System Performance ◽  
Performance Monitoring ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Solar Heating ◽  
Performance Parameters ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Heating Systems ◽  
Solar Fraction ◽  
The Cost

Performance monitoring is essential in order to conclusively demonstrate the cost effectiveness of a solar heating system. Unfortunately, this “last step” is an aspect which has received little engineering consideration. The monitoring programs in progress typically use instrumentation which is much too expensive and complex for use by individual operators of domestic water heating systems. Hence, few systems are monitored, and the average owner knows little about the performance characteristics of his system. Even malfunctions go undetected. An inexpensive performance monitoring system is described in this paper. It could probably be mass-produced for under 15 dollars or built by the typical homeowner for under 30 dollars. The monitor indicates the instantaneous solar fraction. Overall system performance can be improved with this monitor, since it enables the user to correlate load with the availability of solar heated water. Methodology, performance parameters, and some performance data are presented.

Experiences With Using Solar Photovoltaics to Heat Domestic Water

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian P. Dougherty ◽  
A. Hunter Fanney
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Solar Water Heating ◽  
Solar Water ◽  
Photovoltaic Modules ◽  
In Series

The solar photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to make progress in increasing the efficiency while reducing the manufacturing costs of PV cells. Economies of scale are being realized as manufacturers expand their production capabilities. Products are commercially available that integrate photovoltaic cells within building fac¸ade, fenestration, and roofing components. Legislation and incentive programs by government and commercial entities are supporting both reduced first costs and greater rates of return. The combination of factors support improved cost-effectiveness. As this trend continues, more options for using PV become possible. One such application is a stand-alone, PV-direct, solar water heating application. Solar water heating can be effectively accomplished by directly using the DC power production from solar photovoltaic modules. A simple controller having multiple power relays connects the PV modules with different combinations of in-tank resistive elements. The controller actively changes the resistive combination so that the photovoltaic modules generate power at or near their maximum output. The technology, which has been patented, is applicable to configurations that use a single water heater and to two water heaters that are piped in series. Prototypes using both tank configurations were monitored at four field sites. This paper emphasizes the single-tank application and the field results from installations in Maryland and Florida.

scholarly journals Performance Evaluation of a low cost integrated collector storage solar water heater with independent plane reflectors

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-154
Author(s):  
Zakariya Kaneesamkandi
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Storage Systems ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Heating System ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Beam Radiation ◽  
Solar Water Heating ◽  
Solar Water

High initial cost is one of the reasons why consumers think twice before investing on the conventional solar water heating systems, especially in low income countries. Integrated collector storage systems are available at a lesser cost, but with a penalty of decreased efficiency. In this paper, yet another attempt to reduce cost of solar water heating system has been made by using independent plane reflectors along with an insulated storage tank provided with a heat absorbing aperture. With no tracking arrangement, this system uses only the intense beam radiation available from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM with a concentration factor of 10. A theoretical study was conducted using commercial computational fluid dynamics software which was followed by an experimental validation of the results. The theoretical results were in agreement with the experimental results. The efficiency of this system was less than collector storage systems reported in the literature by about 10-15%. Maximum average tank temperature of 350 K and efficiency of 0.61 was obtained. Overall loss coefficient was identical with that of existing integrated collector storage systems. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v49i3.22128 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 49(3), 147-154, 2014

Thermodynamic Optimization of Electric Water Heating With Fully-Mixed Storage: First Law Efficiency

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. O. Homan
Keyword(s):  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Minimum Energy ◽  
Electric Heating ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Significant Loss ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Loss Mechanism ◽  
Water Heaters ◽  
Storage Volume

Abstract The energy consumed for water heating is a significant fraction of the total national use. The most common water heater design, particularly at the residential level, incorporates thermal storage capacity to accommodate the typically high energy withdrawal rates. For electric water heaters, the only significant loss mechanism is ambient heat exchange. In the present paper, three different configurations consisting of a fully-mixed storage vessel and an electric heating element are analyzed. Compared on the basis of equal performance, defined as a sustained draw at or above a minimum energy discharge rate, the configurations are shown to require significantly different storage volumes for identical energy input rates. Accounting for ambient heat loss, these differences in storage volume are shown to translate into appreciably higher thermal efficiencies for the configuration with the smallest required storage volume.

scholarly journals High Performance of Solar Cooker by Heat Transfer Mode Condition System Using Fuzzy Logic Controller Applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.10) ◽  
pp. 278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavani S ◽  
Shanmugan. S ◽  
Selvaraju P
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
System Performance ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Fuzzy Logic Controller ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Heat Transfer Mode ◽  
Transfer Mode

In this work has been made to predict the effect of several parameters on the productivity to a system by expending fuzzy set technique. A solar cooker has been developed low cost and critically high efficiency produce in Vel Tech Multitech Engineering College at Chennai, Tamilnadu, India. Dissects in thermal performance of cooking system have been produced heat transfer follow in fuzzy logic techniques (Low, Medium, and High). The thermal effect of factor should be developed in fuzzy logic for the system. They should have groups of heat transfer produced in fuzzy logic controller for solar cooker system which had been implemented of system performance discussed. It is to study have induced to give the shortly time for the enhancement of the box solar cooker production.  

scholarly journals A New Low-Cost Plastic Solar Collector

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis E. Juanicó ◽  
Nicolás Di Lalla
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Family Unit ◽  
Solar Pond ◽  
In Series

An innovative solar collector based on a long plastic hose that is connected directly in series from the district water grid to consumption is presented. It takes advantage of plastic tubing to develop a simple self-construction collector that costs about 70 dollars for a one-family unit. In addition, due to its solar-pond configuration, it could achieve a good thermal performance, as it was demonstrated by modeling.

Transient and Rate-Dependent Performance of Conventional Electric Storage Water Heating Systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. McMenamy ◽  
K. O. Homan
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Power ◽  
Performance Limits ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Water Heater ◽  
Storage Element ◽  
Heating Systems ◽  
Water Heaters ◽  
Rate Dependent ◽  
Power Draw ◽  
Storage Volume

Electric resistance water heaters are relatively simple and are therefore one of the most common water heating configurations. Due to constraints on the allowable instantaneous electrical power draw, most electric water heating systems incorporate a sizable thermal storage component. The inherently unsteady storage component therefore has an overwhelming impact on the system behavior. In this investigation, a residential-scale electric storage water heater was tested across a range of flow rates for both powered and nonpowered discharge processes as well as for charge processes with no throughflow. The flow dynamics internal to the storage volume is shown to be strongly multidimensional and transient, especially when the internal heating elements are energized. Comparison of the measured data to the performance limits of a system with a fully mixed or a perfectly stratified storage element reveals that the conventional system operates relatively near to the fully mixed limit. As a result, there appears to be significant potential for improvements in system performance through reductions in the level of thermal mixing internal to the storage volume.

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