1.

ABSTRACT:

Solar water heater is basically a flat box solar collector which consists of solar panel, glass
transparent cover, tube that is good heat conductor which will carry water in and out of the water
heater, and an insulated back plate, and the base to support the solar collector. The solar collector
works on the greenhouse effect principle, solar radiation incident upon the transparent surface of
the solar collector and heat is transmitted through the surface. The inside of the solar collector is
usually evacuated, the energy contained within the solar collect is basically trapped and thus heats
the fluid contained within the tubes. The tubes are usually made from copper, and the back plate is
painted black to help absorb solar radiation and to avoid heat losses.

This solar water heater must be designed based on a few requirements that are assigned to
the group. The solar water heater must be designed in a way that it can raise the temperature of the
water minimum 20% from inlet water temperature using the combination of natural convection and
radiation, and the maximum heat can be gained from the solar. To achieve the objective, the design
and calculation of the solar water heater must be on 2 major conditions.

Firstly, the condition of the solar panel must be considered. For the solar panel, the ambient
is 30C and absorber plate is 90C. The glass transmits 90% of the incident radiation and the glass has
an emissivity of 0.8. Secondly, that condition of the water tubes also need to be considered. For the
water tubes, the inlet temperature of the water must be around 30C. The exit temperature of the
water is expected minimum to be 20% higher than an inlet temperature. To analyse the natural
convection, assume the velocity of air is zero, V=0.

Few criteria needed to achieve the wanted design of the solar water heater. Solar water
heater mainly made up of a box that has a solar panel and water tubes. So, the most suitable design
is within the dimension of 0.05x2x2 all in meter. The density of the water and the velocity of the
water are known so the mass flow rate of water in the tube can be calculated. The diameter and the
total length of water tube attached to the solar panel is determine by using As = DL. After all
dimension and parameter is calculated and figured, total rate of heat transfer of the water can be
calculated.

To gain the better performance of the solar panel, the position of it must be adjust so that it
can gain the maximum solar radiation. The efficiency of the solar water heater must be design to get
the maximum performance so that, the result for the efficiency will get a high value.
1.2 Introduction

Background of the project

A solar water system consists of a solar collector and a storage tank. The solar collector is
usually a flat rectangular box. It consists of solar panel, glass transparent cover, tubes which
carry water and an insulated back plate. The solar collector works on the green house effect
principle, solar radiation incident upon the transparent surface of the solar collector and heat is
transmitted through the surface. The inside of the solar collector is usually evacuated, the
energy contained within the solar collect is basically trapped and thus heats the fluid contained
within the tubes. The tubes are usually made from copper, and the back plate is painted black to
help absorb solar radiation and to avoid heat losses. Figure 1 below shows the example of solar
water system.

Figure 1: Solar water collector

Problem statement

The aims of this project are to raise the temperature of water minimum 20% from inlet
water temperature using the combination of natural convection and radiation. Besides that, the
solar collector have angled surface so that the heat from sun absorbed can be maximized and
produced the maximum value of heat transfer, Q in the system. So in this project, we need to
find the optimum angle, .
1.3 Objectives and scope

Objectives
The objective of this project is to design a simple solar water heater system based on given
condition. Besides, able to examine the relationship between the combination of natural
convection and radiation in order to know how the solar radiation incident upon the transparent
surface of the solar collector and heat is transmitted through the surface.
Scope
To ensure that the exit temperature of water from the solar water heater system is to be in
a minimum of 20% higher than the inlet temperature, using mathematical operation.
Design Of the solar Water heater :
3. Calculation and result :

a) The suitable size of flat box solar panel in m2 .

In order to met the desired output, we set our size of the solar parameters as following:-
= 2
= 2
= 0.05
= 4 2

b) The rate of solar radiation gained in W/m2.

According to the research paper done by Faculty of Mechanical Engineering , Universiti
Malaysia Pahang (2011). Stated that the average solar radiation in Malaysia around
950 2
= 950 2

c) The type flow region for air (solar panel) and water (tube flow).
Type of flow region:

For solar panel, the flow region is determined from the Rayleigh number.
g(1 2 )
= =
2
9.81 cos(85) (3.195103 )0.53 (5030)
= = (1.702 105 )2
(0.7255) = 1.71* 107 < 108
The flow is laminar

Where the value of g is change to g cos . For all value of , the Rayleigh number is
below 108 , and thus the type of flow for air is laminar flow. The value of is depends on
the angle, . When the is below or equal to 60 use horizontal plate equation to find Nu

and = whereas if is greater than 60, use vertical plate equation =

For tube flow, the flow region is determined from the Reynolds number.

Assume the diameter of copper tube, = 0.02 and the velocity of water flowing through
the copper tube, = 0.03 2.
= 33
Properties of water at 33
= 996.8 3
= 0.7512 103 .

=

996.8(0.03)(0.02)
=
0.7512 103
= 796.2
 d) The mass flow rate of water in the tube, (kg/s).
=
2
= = 3.14 104 2
4
= 996.8(3.14 104 )(0.03)
= 9.39 103

e) The diameter and total length of water tube attached to the solar panel.
D=0.02 m , and the total length is L = 18 m
f) The total rate of heat transfer to the water.
ASSUMPTIONS:
STEADY STATE exist.
Constant heat flux at the outer surface.
The absorber plate made of aluminium painted with the black body = 0.87 according to
source ()

In order to find the heat transferred to the water:

G = 950 w/ 2 , = 0.9. , =4 2
. . . . . . .
. = - = (,1 + ,1 + ,2 + ,2 )

. = .

., =the rate of heat transferred by convection from the glass cover to the air

. , = the heat transferred by radiation from the glass to the sky

., =The heat transferred by convection from the glass to the absorber surface.

., =The heat transferred by radiation from the glass to the absorber surface.

. = G

= (0.9) (4) (950) = 3420 w.

., =the rate of heat transferred by convection from the glass cover to the air

. = 50 , = 30

+ 50+30
By taking the properties of the air at = = = 40 .
2 2

2
K = 0.02662 w/m.k , Pr= 0.7255 , U = 1.702 x 105

1 1
= = 40+273 = 3.195 x 103 1

The optimum angle is when = 85 in Malaysia , Ipoh , according to the Solar Electricity Hand book
(2009-2013) by Greenstream Publishing .
 4 2
=
= 2 (4 ) = 0.5 m.

cos ( ) 3
Ra = Pr
2

(9.81) cos(85)(3.195 x 103 )( 5030 )(0.53 )

= (1.702 105 )2
(0.7255)= = 1.71 x 107 > 107

By finding Nu number using the equation for horizontal plate :

1 1
Nu = 0.15 3 = 0.15 (1.71 x 107 )3 = 38.64
38.64
h= k
= 0.02662 0.5
= 2.057

.
,1 = h (( ) = (2.057) (4) (50 30)

= 164.6 W
.
,1 = the heat transferred by radiation from the glass to the sky :

.
,1 = ( 4 4 ) = 4 *0.8*5.67*108 ( 3234 - 2684 )= 1038.9 W

For the enclosure:-

The characteristic length is the distance between the glass cover and the observer plate.

=0.05
+ 50+90
By taking the average temperature is = , = = 70
2 2

K = 0.0288 W/ m.K

V =1.995 x 105 2 /

Pr= 0.7177
1
= 70+273 = 2.915 x 103

cos ( ) 3
Ra = Pr
2

(9.81) cos(85)(3.195 x 103 )( 5030 )(0.053 )

= (0.7177) = 7.7 x 106
(1..995 105 )2

1
1708 1708 (sin 1.8 )1.6 3
Nu = 1+1.44(1- ) ( 1- )+( 1)
18

1
1708 1708 (sin 1.8 85)1.6 7.7 106 853
1 + 1.44 (1- 7.7 106 ) (1- 7.7 106 0.05 85) + ( 1) = 6.29
85 18

(0.02881)(6.29)
h= k = 0.05
=3.62 w/ 2 .

 .
,2 =h ( - ) = (3.62) (4) (90-50) = 579.2W

( 4 4 ) 45.67108 (3634 3234 )

.
, 2= 1 1 = 1 1
+ 1
1 2
+
0.8 0.875
1

= 1054.9 W

The total heat transfer to the water found to be:

. . . . . . .
. = - = (,1 + ,1 + ,2 + ,2 )

= 3420 (164.6+1038.9+1054.9+579.2) = 582.4 W

g) The angle of the solar panel in order to gain the maximum solar radiation is = 85 f rom the vertical
axis , in Malaysia , Ipoh , according to the Solar Electricity Hand book (2009-2013) by Greenstream
Publishing .

h) The efficiency of the solar water heater. The efficiency of the solar water heater,
3420 2837.6
=
100% = 3420
100%
= 17%

For Temperature exit at water tube,

= ( ) , 582.4 = 0.00939 4179 ( 28)

= 42
DISCUSSION

From the results, we know that when the distance is smaller between the absorber
plate and the glass surface, the heat transfer rate will be increase. The value of rate of solar
radiation depends on the latitude on earth. Based on Malaysias environment, the value of the
rate of the solar radiation is assumed to be 950 W/2 .The summation of the rate of heat
transfer inside the enclosure by natural convection and the value of solar radiation that pass
through the glass, , is the total rate of heat transfer inside the box of the solar heater. This
value varies with the position angle of the box of the solar panel. The position angle of the
box of the solar panel was determined by trial and error method. The angle that can achieve
the maximum total rate of heat transfer inside the box of the solar heater will be chosen.

The type of flow of air on solar panel and flow of water in tube can be determined
from Raleigh number and Reynold number respectively. For the Raleigh number, Ra, the
limitation of laminar and turbulence in absorber plate is Ra =109 . Below the value of109 , the
flow is considered as laminar and turbulent for the value that above it. The condition to
determine the type of flow from Reynold number, Re is;

Laminar flow : Re < 2300

Transitional flow : 2300 Re 10000
Fully turbulent flow : Re > 10000

Based on the assumptions that had been made, the value of the incident solar radiation
can be calculated by using this formula; = where the absorptivity of the
glass and is the surface area of the solar panel box. The rate of the solar radiation over
surface, ,of the solar water heater is obtained by addition of the rate of heat transfer
from the natural convection and radiation.
CONCLUSION

From the calculations that have been made, the total rate of heat transfer inside the box of the
solar heater is depending on the position angle of the box of the solar panel. The higher the
angle, the higher total heat transfer inside the box of the solar heater. With this angle, we can
get the diameter, length, flow rate of the water that can raise the temperature of the water in
the tube by more than 20%. Our design solar water heater managed to heat up the water by
22%. The total heat gained is 1400W. As a conclusion, the objectives are achieved.

RECOMMENDATION

Double Parallel Water Tube

Double parallel water tube is recommended compared to single big tube. It is used so that the
amount of water that can be heated is increased. This is because if big tube is used, the heat
transfer efficiency will became low due to the heat energy need to travel to longer as the area
of the pipe increase. Besides that, this tube with the current tube is in the same size. So the
rate of heat transfer for the tube is same but the volume of water that can be heated is
increased. Thus, it will maximize the heat energy that is trapped thus optimize the water
heater performance.

Increase the surface area

The bigger the surface area, the bigger surface exposed to the sun. Thus, it will increase the
heating process due to the more sun soot can fall on the panel and accordingly increased the
heat absorbed by the system.

Actuator sensor

By adding actuator sensor, the angle of the solar panel can be adjusted according to the
position of the sun by time to time. This modification is quite expensive but it can be used as
an alternative to keep on gaining radiation in order to obtain the maximum temperature of the
water, at specific time.

Add 2 or 3 glasses

By adding 2 or 3 glasses to the design of solar water heater, it will reduce heat loss by
convection. We will able to know the amount of heat flow over from the absorber when the
heat passes through by that glass.