Thermal performance modeling of the reverse absorber shallow solar pond

Solar energy is being used in many ways, but the easiest to trap solar energy is solar pond. Solar Ponds absorb the solar energy and the absorbed solar energy will be taken away by a streaming fluid. A non-convective solar pond has been constructed to investigate the temperature variations of it, in the weather conditions of Pachapalayam, Coimbatore. Solar pond with a surface area of 1.7m2, a depth of 0.5m has been built-up and an inflexible surface is maintained at the bottom using a dark-colored (blackened) HDPE sheet, thermo styrene for capturing the heat in a good amount. Measurement of the temperature at depths of 0.05, 0.1. 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4 0.45, m from the base of the pond and ambient temperature were taken using washer type thermocouples. Solar radiations were taken during a period of 10 days of experimentation using a solar power meter. In this experimental work investigated the performance of solar pond with NaCl salt and coal cinder

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Effectiveness of Bottom Insulation of a Salinity Gradient Solar Pond

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4039416 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 140 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Sayantan Ganguly ◽

Abhijit Date ◽

Aliakbar Akbarzadeh

Keyword(s):

Temperature Distribution ◽

Heat Loss ◽

Thermal Performance ◽

Salinity Gradient ◽

Heat Removal ◽

Optimum Thickness ◽

Solar Pond ◽

Before And After ◽

Selection Of

This technical brief presents a study on the effectiveness of the bottom insulation of a salinity gradient solar pond (SGSP) in Melbourne, Australia. Insulation is applied at the bottom of a SGSP in order to minimize the heat loss from the SGSP to the ground underneath. But selection of optimum thickness of the insulation to extract the best thermal performance of an SGSP is a challenge as insulation involves significant investment. Hence, modeling heat loss from SGSP to the ground before and after applying the insulation is thus very essential. In this study, a layer of polystyrene is used as insulation at the bottom of SGSP. The temperature distribution in the SGSP and ground below it, the efficiency of the SGSP and the heat removal from SGSP are estimated for the SGSP without insulation and with insulation of different thicknesses. The results show that the insulation definitely reduces the heat loss from the SGSP to the ground, but to a certain extent. Insulation beyond a certain thickness is proved to be ineffective in increasing the efficiency or reducing the heat loss to ground and thus unable to enhance the thermal performance of the SGSP.

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Thermal Performance of an Experimental Solar Pond Operating in Winter of Tibet

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.316-317.13 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 316-317 ◽

pp. 13-16

Author(s):

Shu Yang Xiao ◽

Bing Li ◽

Ya Ping Dong ◽

Qing Fen Meng ◽

Wu Li

Keyword(s):

Thermal Performance ◽

Solar Pond ◽

The Impact ◽

Transparency Condition

An experimental SGSP was constructed in Tibet and its thermal performance in winter was investigated in this paper. The LCZ temperature observed was no less than 20 oC in winter subfreezing time. The impact of ice layer upon SGSP was analysed briefly as well, it was found that the ice layer showed different impacts on the performance of SGSP depended on its thickness and transparency condition. Several promising measures for the improvement of SGSP operating in winter were also proposed.

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