Study of a Flatplate Solar Collector with an Air Conditioner Radiator as a Heat Absorber for a Domestic Water Heater

Abstract

The objective of this study was to build a thermally efficient solar water heater. The receiver plate was constructed from an air conditioner radiator, and consisted of an array of serpentine tubes through which water was circulated. The presence of high density corrugated fins attached to the tubes increased the absorption of incident solar radiation. The flat plate collector was enclosed by double glazing which admitted solar radiation and minimized convection heat transfer losses to the environment. The shell of the collector was insulated to reduce conduction losses. A numerical model of flat plate solar collector thermal performance was developed and is likewise described in this paper. The model predicted the useful heat transfer to the water using an energy balance approach. An experimental program that was devised to verify the accuracy of the thermal performance model. Under certain circumstances close agreement was obtained between model predictions and experimental measurements, making the performance model of the flat plate solar collector a useful design tool