NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bambang Campus
Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Mechanical Engineering Department

REPORT OUTLINE IN ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING RESOURCES

TOPIC: SOLAR WATER HEATING

Prepared by: GROUP 3

DICCION, LOVELYN M.
DONTOGAN, JERBOY B.
UBINA, IVY JOY A.

DATE SUBMITTED: DECEMBER 13, 2019

ENGR. LARRY P. REMOLAZO

FACULTY
 I. INTRODUCTION

A basic use of solar energy is for heating the fluids of air and water. For,

instance, houses in cold and temperate climates often need heated air for comfort, and

in all countries hot water is beneficial for personal and clothes washing as well as for

other domestic services. There are several needs in business, industry, and agriculture.

The general principle and analysis of solar water heaters apply also to many

systems which use active and passive mechanisms to absorb solar energy as heat.

The manufacture of solar water heaters has become an established industry in

several countries, especially China, Australia, Germany, Greece, Brazil, Israel, and

Japan.

II. BODY

BENEFITS OF USING WATER HEATING SYSTEM

• Help reduce harmful emission from fossil fuels.

• You can enjoy free energy from the sun, which could save your energy cost in

heating water.

BASIC COMPONENTS OF SOLAR WATER HEATING

1. Solar Collectors
 mounted on roof to capture solar radiation

2. Storage Tank

 holds the solar heated water

3. Interconnecting Pipe Work

 carry the heat transfer liquid

COMMON TYPES OF SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM
• Active
 uses an electric pump to circulate water or a heat transfer fluid from

storage tanks through the collectors.

• Passive

 relies on gravity and the tendency for water to naturally circulate as it is

heated, allowing water or heat transfer fluid to move through the system

without the use of a circulating pump.

ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN INSTALLING SOLAR WATER HEATING

SYSTEM
• Solar collectors’ orientation

• Application of solar water heating systems

• Retrofitting of solar water heating system

• Market availability

• Maintenance and expected life

TWO TYPES OF SOLAR COLLECTORS

1. FLAT-PLATE COLLECTORS
 It is the simplest type.

 It consists of copper tubes fitted to flat absorber plates.

 Typically, the tube diameter is ~2 cm, the tube spacing ~20 cm and the

plate thickness ~0.3 cm.

 Its assembly is contained within an insulated box, and covered with

tempered glass.

 They are typically size to contain 40 gallons of water.

 2. EVACUATED COLLECTORS

 One method for moderate improvement of a flat-plate collector is to use

‘double-glazing’

 Best method is to evacuate the space between the plate and its glass

cover

SYSTEMS WITH SEPARATE STORAGE

1. ACTIVE SYSTEMS WITH FORCED CIRCULATION
• A common type of solar water heater in Australia.

• The glass-covered flat-plate collector heats water for the insulated storage tank

placed above (hot water rises).

• A back-up electric heater in the tank is available for the rare occasions when

solar input is insufficient.

2. SYSTEMS WITH THERMOSYPHON CIRCULATION

• Collector and storage tank with thermosyphon circulation

• The water circulation in a roof-top unit, is driven by the density difference

between hot and cold water.

SELECTIVE SURFACES
1. Ideal
2. Metal semiconductors composite surface

3. Manufacture of selective surfaces

INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING

• Display of temperatures.
 • Temperature sensors (usually thermistors) for the display: collector outlet, top of

the tank, bottom of the tank, bottom of the collector and middle of the tank.

• Pump-enabled on/off colored lights.

• Pump hours run.

• Back-up heating on (especially important for electric immersers for which sensors

and time clocks may fail or be mistimed, and so unnecessary electricity is used).

FAULTS (AND REMEDIAL ACTIONS) THAT MAY OCCUR DURING THE LONG
LIFETIME OF A SOLAR WATER HEATER INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
• Dirty cover glass (inspect at least twice per year and if necessary clean; note

that self-cleaning glass may be used).

• Pump failure (indicated by temperature difference across the collector being too

large).

• Sensor failure (often mice and rodents nibble the cables!).

• Fuses blown (not itself a fault, but indicates a probable fault).

• Frozen and burst pipes (inadequate insulation and/or bad positioning).

• Metal corrosion from poor design using mixed metals (should not occur with

reliable design; annual inspection recommended with remedial action if

necessary).

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

• Solar water heating is an extremely benign and acceptable technology.

 • Installations may be expected to be effective with very little service cost for at

least 25 to 35 years.

• Units designed for colder climates with the threat of freezing conditions are more

sophisticated and expensive than those made for countries where freezing does

not occur.

• In almost all cases, using solar energy for water heating replaces brown (fossil)

energy at source, this gives the benefits of improved sustainability and fewer

greenhouse gas emissions.

III. CONCLUSION

Solar water heaters are a widely used and straightforward application of solar

energy, in use in over 200 million households worldwide. There are relatively few homes

and businesses that would not benefit from such installations, yet their use is still far

from universal. Most systems use glazed, non-concentrating collectors, which typically

raise the water temperature to 30 to 60 degrees Celsius above ambient temperature,

depending on isolation and flow rate. The performance of such collectors may be

estimated using standard formulae of heat transfer. The general principles and analysis

that apply to solar water heaters apply also to many other systems that use active and

passive mechanisms to absorb the Sun’s energy as heat. Selective surfaces and

evacuated collectors enhance the performance of collectors at acceptable cost.