Experimental study and first thermodynamic law analysis of a solar water heater system

Abstract

The performance of a pilot scale flat plate solar water heater system is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The effect of the operating conditions and characteristic factors of the collector on the system efficiency is studied. A conceptual mathematical model is developed in order to analyze the system behavior in different operating conditions by considering the physical and constructive aspects of the system. The accuracy of the model result is estimated by comparing the model results with the existing experimental data. The highest obtained system thermal efficiency is 45%, and the optimum local values for surface azimuth and tilt angles are obtained at 180 degrees from north and 33 degrees, respectively, for the constructed solar water heater in Isfahan, Iran, with the local latitude of 32.6333°N. © 2015 by De Gruyter 2015.