All-day experimental tests were performed to determine the thermal performance of two commercial integral storage collectors for solar domestic hot water systems. These tests were performed under a variety of ambient conditions and irradiance levels, both with and without forced circulation and noontime hot water draws. An analytical model was developed to predict the thermal performance of one of the two systems tested and predicted performance was compared with experimental results. Experimental and analytical results indicate that thermal stratification has a mininal effect on the daily collection efficiency of integral storage collector, so that a standard test similar to ASHRAE Standard 93-77 might reasonably be used to obtain the performance characteristics of the collection element of these systems. The results of an ASHRAE 93-77 type test might then be used to obtain performance ratings under ASHRAE Standard 95 procedures using an in-line heat source. The results of the present investigation may be used to validate such an ASHRAE 95 test method. / Master of Science

This study presents a comparison of field measurements of energy delivered by five integral collector storage (ICS) passive solar water heater systems installed at various geographic locations in Virginia to predicted values calculated using Annual Performance Methodology (APM). APM is a prediction method developed by Alan Zollner that offers quick and easy comparisons of design option for ICS systems. Several different methods exist today that are meant to predict the performance of this type of system and that might be used as a design tool to help a designer make appropriate design decisions. Some of these methods are quite complicated and do not lend themselves to quick and easy comparisons of various design options. This study measured the amount of energy delivered by five ICS systems over a six month period. The amount of water drawn out of these systems daily was also recorded. This data was compared to predicted values calculated using APM to determine if APM could predict the performance of these systems within plus or minus 15 percent of the measured values. This study demonstrates that APM was able to predict long term performance of ICS systems within plus or minus 15 percent eighty percent of the time. Short term performance however demonstrated variation that in some cases were quite large and could not be considered reliable predictions. / M. Arch.

Thesis (MEng) -- Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Solar energy is a time dependent, high-temperature radiant energy resource. The utility of a solar thermal energy system increases if the hot temperature source is available when it is needed most. This is realized by the thermal storage of the solar energy. Thermal storage gives greater versatility to a solar energy system by decoupling the heat source from the heat sink. A large quantity of energy may be stored during the melting process in a phase change material (PCM) within a small temperature range. This molten PCM can then deliver its absorbed heat at a constant temperature in a heating application. In this study a phase change storage system (PCS) is developed and proposed for a solar water heating application. This PCS system stores more heat per unit mass than would be possible with water across the same temperature range. The heat transfer rate in and out of many PCMs is slow because of the low thermal conductivity of the PCM. However, heat transfer enhancers (HTE), such as heat pipes and fins may be added to enhance heat absorption and heat removal rates. Heat pipes have the inherent capability to transfer heat at high rates across large distances, even where the temperature difference is small. In this thesis a description is given of a PCS system consisting of paraffin wax as the PCM and which uses rectangular heat pipes in conjunction with aluminium fins to enhance heat transfer. The storage design is modular and each module has the characteristic that enhanced heat transfer in and out of the PCM is possible when the module is heated or cooled. It also has the capability to quickly absorb or alternatively to supply heat at a nearly constant temperature during the phase change of the module. A rectangular module was designed and built. The module was then analysed under controlled heat absorption and heat removal cycles. The heat up experiment involved an electrical kettle as the hot temperature source. The heat sink was a mains water heat exchanger. The experimental results were compared to those of a transient numerical model, which calculates theoretically how the module will perform thermally under the given test conditions. The numerical model of the experimental set-up was validated when it was found that the numerical model results resemble the experimental results. The numerical model was then adapted to simulate a novel solar water heater (SWH) with an additional PCS container. The improvement over previous designs is that the additional storage container can be heated to a higher temperature than the allowable geyser temperature. The system also heats up and cools down at a faster rate than would be possible without the HTEs. From the numerical simulation the size and performance of such a system is determined. This numerical analysis indicated that a phase change storage system in a SWH application will increase the hot water delivered by a given solar collector and geyser by increasing the storage capacity and by heating up the geyser overnight for early morning hot water use. / AFRIKKANSE OPSOMMING: Son energie is ‘n tyd afhanklike, hoë temperatuur radiasie energiebron. Die bruikbaarheid van ‘n sontermiese energie sisteem verhoog indien die hoë temperatuur bron beskikbaar is wanneer dit die meeste benodig word. Dit kan verwesenlik word deur die sonenergie termies te stoor. Termiese storing bied groter veelsydigheid aan ‘n sontermiese stelsel deur effektief die hittebron te ontkoppel van die hitte sink. ‘n Groot hoeveelheid energie kan, gedurende die smeltingsproses in ‘n faseveranderingsmateriaal binne ‘n nou temperatuurband gestoor word. Hierdie gesmelte materiaal kan weer op sy beurt in die waterverhittingstoepassing, die geabsorbeerde hitte teen ‘n konstante temperatuur oordra. In hierdie studie word ‘n sonwaterverwarmer stelsel wat aangepas is deur ‘n addisionele latente hittestoor daaraan te heg, voorgestel. Hierdie faseverandering hittestoor kan meer hitte stoor as wat water in dieselfde temperatuur band sou kon. Die hitteoordrag tempo na en van baie van die faseveranderingsmateriale (FVM) is egter as gevolg van die lae termiese geleidingskoëfisient, stadig. Hierdie eienskap kan gelukkig verbeter word deur hittepype en hitteoordrag verhogings materiaal soos vinne by te voeg. Hittepype het die inherente eienskap om hitte teen ‘n hoë tempo oor groot afstande, oor te dra, selfs oor ‘n klein temperatuurverskil. In hierdie tesis word ‘n ondersoek rakende ‘n faseverandering storingsisteem wat bestaan uit paraffien was as die FVM en reghoekige hittepype wat te same met met aluminium finne gebruik word om die hitteoordragtempo te verhoog, beskryf. Die stoorontwerp is modulêr en elke module het die kenmerk van hoë hitteoordrag na en van die FVM. Die module het verder ook die eienskap om vining hitte te absorbeer of hitte af te gee. Dit gebeur teen ‘n konstante temperatuur gedurende die faseverandering van die FVM. Presies so ‘n reghoekige module is ontwerp en gebou en onder beheerde hitte absorbering- en hitte verwyderingsiklusse analiseer. Tydens die verhittings eksperiment is ‘n elektriese ketel van gebruik gemaak wat gedien het as die hoë temperatuur bron. Die hitte sink was ‘n hitteruiler wat kraanwater van ‘n konstante hoogte tenk ontvang het. Die resultate van die volledige toets is met die resultate van tydafhanklike numeriese model vergelyk. Hierdie numeriese model bereken teoreties wat die module se storing verrigting onder gegewe toets omstandighede sal wees. Die numeriese model se resultate het goed vergelyk met die resultate van die eksperimente. Die numeriese model van die module is toe aangepas om ‘n sonwaterverwarmer met addisionele stoortenk wat fase verandering materiaal gebruik, te simuleer. Hierdie ontwerp is anders as vorige ontwerpe in die sin dat hoër temperature as wat die warmwatertoestel kan hanteer, in die faseverandering storingstenk, bereik kan word. Die sisteem kan ook as gevolg van die hitteoordrag verhoging materiaal, vinniger verhit of afkoel en teen ‘n vinniger tempo. Die simulasie van die sonwaterverwarmer met FVM word gebruik om die grootte en verrigting van die sisteem te bepaal. Hierdie numeriese model toon aan dat wanneer ‘n addisionele faseverandering storingstelsel in ‘n sonwaterverwarmer toepassing gebruik word, die warm water wat die verbruiker uit die sisteem kan verkry, kan verhoog. Die rede hiervoor is dat meer hitte gestoor kan word, wat beskikbaar gemaak word aan die warm water tenk.

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / The government has stated its intentions to increase the usage of solar water heating (SWH) through its National Solar Water Heater Programme (NSWHP). As described in the report, increased adoption of SWH would have a number of benefits for South Africa. Firstly, replacement of electric geysers by SWHs would contribute to the meeting of energy efficiency targets through the reduction of energy consumption. Secondly, the widespread adoption of SWHs would help SA to meet its renewable energy targets. Thirdly, it would result in growth in the SWH industry, including the manufacturing, installation and related sectors, thereby contributing to an increase in 'green' jobs. It would have the socio-economic benefit of energy security for South Africans. The research report looks at the factors influencing the SWH industry's future growth from the point of view of the suppliers. It considers the interplay between consumers (market demand), government (public policy measures) and suppliers (businesses providing services related to SWH) to determine how government can support industry, how suppliers can grow their business and industry and how government and industry can work together to create the conditions for sustained market demand. As is discussed in the literature review, there are certain barriers to the adoption of SWH technology. As such, government intervention is needed to help overcome these barriers. The literature review recounts the available policy tools and considers how these have been applied in other countries to stimulate demand for SWHs and to support the local industry. The research report takes the form of a survey of SWH suppliers with the following aims: - To describe the industry in terms of its age, maturity and ability to scale up; - To determine the major barriers to the industry's growth; - To specify the appropriate public policy tools to overcome these obstacles to growth; - To establish how confident the industry is in the NSWHP and government efforts to promote the industry; - To provide a list of key success factors that are required for the industry's long-term, sustainable development. The report concludes that there are three criteria that would help the industry to become sustainable: market demand certainty, investment confidence and positive competition. Certainty of future market demand would build confidence in the industry for investors. In turn, increased investment would benefit the forces of positive competition.

Orientador: Vicente Luiz Scalon / Banca: Carlos Teófilo Salinas Sedano / Banca: Santiago Del Rio Oliveira / Resumo: As discussões recentes sobre sustentabilidade tem destacado os sistemas de aquecimento solar como alternativa adequada para aquecimento de água. Estes sistemas tem ganho notoriedade tanto para uso doméstico como no aquecimento de piscinas. Um dos aspectos que é frequentemente destacado como principal dificuldade para a sua popularização, entretanto é o custo de sua implantação. Uma das formas de reduzir este custo é minimizando o número de componentes e simplificando o sistema. Nesta linha de desenvolvimento muito tem se discutido sobre o uso de sistemas integrados coletor-armazenador (ICS). Baseando-se nestas avaliações, este trabalho pretende estudar diferentes configurações geométricas de coletores solares com armazenador integrado do tipo cubóide e verificar a influência sobre o aproveitamento de energia térmica quando se utiliza diferentes dispositivos para direcionar o fluxo de água quente. A partir de simulações numérico-computacionais é possível identificar as geometrias que apresentam melhor estratificação térmica no armazenador. A estratificação da temperatura em um armazenador é um fator extremamente importante no estudo de coletores solares, pois determina a porção de temperatura mais elevada. O modelo base, validado experimentalmente na literatura, foi utilizado com condições de fluxos de calor incidente e de perda por resfriamento constantes com boa concordância de resultados. Modificações geométricas foram implementadas e avaliadas para otimizar os parâmetros de projeto deste tipo de coletores solares integrados. Outras análises alterando o volume do sistema coletor-armazenador foram realizadas: um com 200 litros de capacidade e outro com 300 litros, de maneira a estabelecer um tamanho ótimo do sistema. Para visualizar a estratificação do armazenador... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Recent discussions highlighted the sustainability of solar heating systems as an apropriate alternative for heating water. These systems has gained prominence for both household and swimming pool heating. One aspect that is often highighted as the main obstacle to its popularity is the cost of its implementation. One way to reduce this cost is to minimize the number of components and simplifying the system. In this field of development has long been discussed about the use of integrated collector-storage (ICS). Based on these evaluations, this work analyzes different geometrical configurations of integrated solar collector-storage with storage type cuboid and the influence on the use of thermal energy when you use different devices to direct the flow of hot water. From numerical-computational simulations, the geometry with better thermal stratification in the storage can be identified. the stratification of temperature in a storage is an extremely important factor in the study of solar collectors, because it determines the portion of higher temperature. The base model, experimentally validated in the literature, was used with constant conditions of incident head flux and loss for cooling. Geometric changes were implemented and evaluated to optimize the design parameters of this type of integrated solar collectors. Further analysis by changing the volume of the collector-storage system were carried out: a 200 liter capacity and another with 300 liters, in order to establish and optimum size of the system. To view the stratification of the storage, images with the temperature profile are shown at the end of the heating and cooling periods and the following graphics show the stratification coefficient. The CFD method allowed to obtain results with good agreement with those used as the basis from the literature. Results... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:25:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-07-13Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:33:04Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 sales_fb_me_bauru.pdf: 1185139 bytes, checksum: ba8e8304a72e250dcb73d00e64d9a913 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / As discussões recentes sobre sustentabilidade tem destacado os sistemas de aquecimento solar como alternativa adequada para aquecimento de água. Estes sistemas tem ganho notoriedade tanto para uso doméstico como no aquecimento de piscinas. Um dos aspectos que é frequentemente destacado como principal dificuldade para a sua popularização, entretanto é o custo de sua implantação. Uma das formas de reduzir este custo é minimizando o número de componentes e simplificando o sistema. Nesta linha de desenvolvimento muito tem se discutido sobre o uso de sistemas integrados coletor-armazenador (ICS). Baseando-se nestas avaliações, este trabalho pretende estudar diferentes configurações geométricas de coletores solares com armazenador integrado do tipo cubóide e verificar a influência sobre o aproveitamento de energia térmica quando se utiliza diferentes dispositivos para direcionar o fluxo de água quente. A partir de simulações numérico-computacionais é possível identificar as geometrias que apresentam melhor estratificação térmica no armazenador. A estratificação da temperatura em um armazenador é um fator extremamente importante no estudo de coletores solares, pois determina a porção de temperatura mais elevada. O modelo base, validado experimentalmente na literatura, foi utilizado com condições de fluxos de calor incidente e de perda por resfriamento constantes com boa concordância de resultados. Modificações geométricas foram implementadas e avaliadas para otimizar os parâmetros de projeto deste tipo de coletores solares integrados. Outras análises alterando o volume do sistema coletor-armazenador foram realizadas: um com 200 litros de capacidade e outro com 300 litros, de maneira a estabelecer um tamanho ótimo do sistema. Para visualizar a estratificação do armazenador... / Recent discussions highlighted the sustainability of solar heating systems as an apropriate alternative for heating water. These systems has gained prominence for both household and swimming pool heating. One aspect that is often highighted as the main obstacle to its popularity is the cost of its implementation. One way to reduce this cost is to minimize the number of components and simplifying the system. In this field of development has long been discussed about the use of integrated collector-storage (ICS). Based on these evaluations, this work analyzes different geometrical configurations of integrated solar collector-storage with storage type cuboid and the influence on the use of thermal energy when you use different devices to direct the flow of hot water. From numerical-computational simulations, the geometry with better thermal stratification in the storage can be identified. the stratification of temperature in a storage is an extremely important factor in the study of solar collectors, because it determines the portion of higher temperature. The base model, experimentally validated in the literature, was used with constant conditions of incident head flux and loss for cooling. Geometric changes were implemented and evaluated to optimize the design parameters of this type of integrated solar collectors. Further analysis by changing the volume of the collector-storage system were carried out: a 200 liter capacity and another with 300 liters, in order to establish and optimum size of the system. To view the stratification of the storage, images with the temperature profile are shown at the end of the heating and cooling periods and the following graphics show the stratification coefficient. The CFD method allowed to obtain results with good agreement with those used as the basis from the literature. Results... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Jose Antonio Siqueira Dias / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Eletrica e de Computação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T11:25:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ormenese_Marcela.pdf: 17981897 bytes, checksum: c7b7714358950bc575686565e846f762 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: Os sistemas de aquecimento solar disponíveis comercialmente, embora proporcionem boa economia de energia elétrica, não apresentam bom desempenho em dias com baixa radiação, pois o boiler é automaticamente preenchido com água fria toda vez que ocorre consumo de água quente. Neste trabalho é proposto e estudado um sistema de aquecimento solar que é otimizado para proporcionar uma mínima utilização da energia elétrica no auxílio ao aquecimento de água. Um controlador fuzzy analisa a intensidade da radiação solar, a temperatura da água dentro do boiler, a quantidade de água dentro do boiler e controla a entrada de água fria no boiler, otimizando o sistema. Foram modelados dois sistemas de aquecimento: um convencional e este sistema com o controlador fuzzy; e, através de simulações, suas eficiências foram comparadas. Os resultados obtidos em simulação mostram que o sistema proposto com controlador fuzzy apresenta eficiência superior aos sistemas convencionais. Para um período de três dias de inverno, com baixa radiação solar, o sistema convencional consumiu uma energia elétrica de 10,08 kWh enquanto que o sistema proposto consumiu apenas 1,86 kWh. / Abstract: Although significant savings in electrical energy are achieved with commercially available solar water heaters, they do not present a good performance in days that the radiation is not good, because the boiler is filled with cold water whenever the hot water is used. In this work, a new solar heating system, which minimizes the use of electrical energy, is proposed. The proposed system uses a fuzzy controller that analyzes the intensity of solar radiation, the temperature of the water inside the boiler and the volume of water inside the boiler, to actuate on a On/Off valve which controls the boiler's input of cold water. Two solar heating systems were modeled: a conventional system and the new proposed system with the fuzzy controller; and their efficiencies were compared using computer simulations. The obtained results show that the proposed system with the fuzzy controller presents a much higher performance when compared to the traditional system. Simulation results indicate that for a three winter days period, with low intensity solar radiation, the conventional system consumed 10.08 kwh of electrical energy while the proposed system needed only 1.86 kwh to achieve the same performance. / Universidade Estadual de Campi / Eletrônica, Microeletrônica e Optoeletrônica / Mestre em Engenharia Elétrica

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Deforestation, increasing pollution levels, diminishing non-renewable energy reserves, the resulting global warming, and climate change are areas of concern to environmentalists and the whole global village. It appears that the solution lies in the exploitation of renewable, clean and sustainable energy resources. Solar energy is one of the renewable, clean and environmentally friendly energy resources readily available in most tropical countries of the world, including Namibia. The research was conducted in the Rocky Crest suburb of Windhoek, Namibia. The research focused on the exploration barriers in the diffusion of solar water heaters (SWHs) for generating hot water for Rocky Crest residents. The investigation involved data collection from the stakeholders, including the residents of Rocky Crest suburb, SWH suppliers, financial institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) in Namibia. The results of this study introduce information that can largely benefit the Rocky Crest residents, MME, NGOs, financial institutions and relevant stakeholders. It can also act as a departure point for further studies on the subject of renewable energy sources, their exploitation and the impact thereof. Furthermore, solutions to the current problems of diminishing non-renewable energy reserves and the impact of pollutant energy sources can be identified and implemented.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is experiencing an energy shortage and volatile supply of electricity. This situation is placing pressure on businesses and citizens and is opening avenues into the renewable sector. This study investigates servicisation as a potential means to assist in the alleviation of energy consumption on the national power grid, and answers whether servicisation in the solar water heating sector could pose as a viable business venture. The main research goal was to investigate whether servicisation within a housing estate could be favourably received. The majority of residents in this high-income bracket were more willing to invest their own capital in renewables rather than being provided with a solar water heater through servicisation. Knowledge of solar water heating is extremely poor amongst consumers, and this contributes to the lack of penetration of solar water heaters in the industry to date. To further exacerbate the situation, installations are often poorly executed, leading to negative experiences by consumers. Initially it was assumed that post 2012, all homes built would be installed with solar geysers or heat pumps, due to legislation. However, surprisingly this was not the case, as a large portion of homes built between 2012 & 2013 have not complied with this legislation.

Graduation date: 2003 / Best scan available on figures. Original figures are dark.