The potential applications and advantages of powering solar air-conditioning systems using concentrator augmented solar collectors

Non-concentrated evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors have been reported to show higher fluid temperatures with improved thermal performance in the low to medium temperature range (?60 °C) due to low heat losses but suffer higher heat losses at the medium to higher temperature range (?80 °C) which reduces their efficiency compared to concentrated evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors. To operate as stand-alone systems capable of attaining temperatures in the range of 70-120 °C, an innovative concentrator augmented solar collector can be an attractive option. The performance of a combined low-concentrator augmented solar collector in an array of evacuated tube heat pipe solar collectors defined as concentrator augmented evacuated tube heat pipe array (CAETHPA) and an array of evacuated tube heat pipe collectors (ETHPC) were tested and compared and results presented in this paper. The analysis of the experimental data allows concluding that the use of a CAETHPA is a more efficient alternative for integrating renewable energy into buildings with higher fluid temperature response, energy collection and lower heat loss coefficient compared to the use of evacuated tube heat pipe collector array (ETHPA).     

Optical evaluation and analysis of an internal low-concentrated evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector for powering solar air-conditioning systems

An optical evaluation and analysis of an internal low-concentrating evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector designed to enhance the collection of solar radiation for medium temperature applications is presented in this paper. The internal low-concentrating evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector was designed with an acceptance angle of 20° given a geometrical concentration ratio of 2.92. The truncation of the upper part of the reflector giving a geometrical concentration ratio of 1.95 was carried and enabled the internal low-concentrating evacuated tube heat pipe collector to be enclosed by a borosilicate glass tube with 100 mm and 93 mm outer and inner diameters, respectively. Ray trace analysis at different transverse angles determines optical efficiencies, related optical losses and flux distribution on the absorber of the internal low-concentrating evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector. A detailed two dimensional ray trace techniques considering only the direct insolation component predicated overall ray’s acceptance of 93.72% and optical efficiency of 79.13% from transverse angles of 0° to 20°.     

Performance analysis on a novel micro‐channel heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector‐incorporated thermoelectric generation

In China, because of the emergence of a large number of high‐rise buildings, the solar hot water heater system often uses the balcony wall‐mounted method for installation. The thermoelectric energy converter is proposed as one of the possible technologies to incorporate solar water heater to produce electricity for building application. In this paper, the conceptual development and theoretical analysis of a novel micro‐channel heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector‐incorporated thermoelectric generation are all proposed. The new system takes into account many advantages, including the high heat transfer, low convective heat loss, and low contact thermal resistance. The exergy analysis method based on the second law of thermodynamics is also introduced to evaluate the performance of this system. The results show that a novel micro‐channel heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector‐incorporated thermoelectric generation has a high thermal performance with addition of electricity production. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental performance analysis and optimisation of medium temperature solar thermal collectors with silicon oil as a heat transfer fluid

Heat transfer fluids (HTFs) play an essential role in solar water heating systems by transferring collected energy from the collector, perhaps via a heat exchanger to the store. If the store is at a much higher temperature than the fluid, the store acts as a heat source, whereas the fluid acts as a coolant, thus reversing the collection process. This action must be avoided through good controls. Experimental performance analysis and comparison of three different types of solar collectors; a non‐concentrating evacuated tube heat pipe and two concentrating single‐sided and double‐sided coated evacuated tube heat pipes collectors are installed and tested using Dow‐corning 550® silicon oil as an HTF under the same operating in‐door control conditions, and results are presented in this paper. The performance of these solar collectors was determined from the overall increase in inlet and outlet fluid temperatures, overall fluid temperature differential, energy collection rate, optical efficiencies, and thermal performances. Temperature differential, energy, and collection efficiency diagrams plotted against time were used to represent and compare the solar collectors. Finally, a comparative analysis of these solar collectors using either pressurised water or Dow‐corning 550 silicon oil as HTF is presented. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

全玻璃真空管太阳热水器数值模拟研究

基于FLUENT软件及TECPLOT软件,通过对均匀加热条件下的全玻璃真空管太阳热水器内流场及温度场的数值模拟,研究了热水器的对流换热与传质过程;分析了集热管倾角、真空管双面受热对热水器内流场及温度场的影响和真空管与水箱连接处、垂直等温面上的流体速度、温度分布。结果表明,在真空管与水箱连接处出现随机的涡流和真空管内出现分段的小环流,对传热传质过程不利,特别是对于带反射板的双面受热的集热器,应采取措施确保管内对流换热流动的有序性。建议加装导流板,并初步探讨了导流板的长度,确立了最佳板长模拟结构,为后续的理论研究与试验打下基础。     

集热方式对全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器性能的影响

为对比分析自然循环竖排管、强制循环竖排管和强制循环横排管3种集热方式对全玻璃真空管太阳热水器有效集热量、平均有效集热效率和瞬时有效集热量等的影响,以3组30支Φ58×1800 mm的全玻璃真空管太阳热水器为研究对象,在兰州地区搭建试验平台,在太阳辐射为19.0～25.7 MJ/m2,风速为0.5～1.3m/s,平均环境...     

CPC内聚光式热管集热管温度特性研究

为提高太阳能热水系统的输出温度,将CPC聚光技术应用于热管式真空集热管中,开发了一种新型的CPC内聚光式热管集热管。对该集热管建立数学模型,模拟计算其传热过程,获得了导热肋片温度、热管冷凝段温度等参数随太阳辐射强度的变化规律,并通过试验验证了数学模型的可靠性;与常规热管式真空管集热管传热特性相对比,证实了该集热管可大幅提高太阳能热水器输出温度。     

Simulation and experimental investigation of two hybrid solar domestic water heaters with drain water heat recovery

In this paper, the performance of two solar domestic hot waters (SDHW) with drain water heat recovery (DWHR) units is investigated. Both SDHW systems are recently installed at the Archetype Sustainable Twin Houses at Kortright Center, Vaughan, Ontario. The first SDWH system in House A consists of a flat plate solar thermal collector in combination with a gas boiler and a DWHR unit. The second SDHW system in House B includes an evacuated tube solar collector, an electric tank, and a DWHR unit. Both systems are modeled in TRNSYS, and the models are validated by experimental data. The addition of the DWHR and the flat‐plate solar thermal collector would result in 1831 kWh of annual energy saving in House A. While the addition of the DWHR and the evacuated tube collector in House B would result in an annual energy saving of 1771 kWh. Subsequently, the models are used to investigate the performance of similar systems for five major Canadian cities of Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, and Vancouver. The conjunctions of solar thermal collectors with DWHR units are found most beneficial in Edmonton. It is also noted from experimental and simulated results that flat‐plate solar collector‐based water heater produced more thermal energy than the system based on the evacuated tube solar collector for all major Canadian cities. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparative studies on thermal performance of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters with different collector tilt-angles

To performance comparative studies, two sets of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heater (SWH, in short) were constructed and tested. Both SWHs were identical in all aspects but had different collector tilt-angle from the horizon with the one inclined at 22° (SWH-22) and the other at 46° (SWH-46). Experimental results revealed that the collector tilt-angle of SWHs had no significant influence on the heat removal from solar tubes to the water storage tank, both systems had almost the same daily solar thermal conversion efficiency but different daily solar and heat gains, and climatic conditions had a negligible effect on the daily thermal efficiency of systems due to less heat loss of the collector to the ambient air. These findings indicated that, to maximize the annual heat gain of such solar water heaters, the collector should be inclined at a tilt-angle for maximizing its annual collection of solar radiation. Experiments also showed that, for the SWH-22, the cold water from the storage tank circulated down to the sealed end of tubes along the lower wall of tubes and then returned to the storage tank along the upper wall of solar tubes with a clear water circulation loop; whereas for the SWH-46, the situation in the morning was the same as the SWH-22, but in the afternoon, the cold water from the storage tank on the way to the sealed end was partially or fully mixed with the hot water returning to the storage tank without a clear water circulation loop, furthermore, such mixing became more intense with the increase in the inlet water temperature of solar tubes. This indicated that increasing the collector tilt-angle of SWHs had no positive effect on the thermosiphon circulation of the water inside tubes. No noticeable inactive region near the sealed end of solar tubes for both systems was observed in experiments.     

开放式热管中温太阳能空气集热装置的试验研究

设计一种使用简化CPC(非追踪式复合抛物线聚光板)集热板和新型开放式热管组合的全真空玻璃集热管中温太阳能空气集热装置。每个集热单元包括一个简化CPC集热板,一根全真空玻璃集热管,在玻璃集热管内安装一个铜管和外部的一个蒸汽包连接构成一个开放式热管结构。蒸汽包内安装螺旋换热管加热通过换热管的流动空气工质。分别使用水和CuO纳米流体作为热管工质,以空气作为集热工质,对热管式中温空气集热器的传热特性进行了实验研究。分析了不同工作压力、不同工质及纳米流体质量分数对热管集热传热特性的影响,详细比较了热管水工质和纳米流体工质在集热传热性能上的优劣。试验结果表明:本系统只使用2根玻璃集热管构成集热器,空气最大出口温度在夏天可达到200℃,在冬天可接近160℃,系统平均集热效率达到0.4以上,整个系统表现了良好的中温集热特性。以纳米流体为工质的热管热阻比以水为工质时平均降低了20%左右     

全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器影响因素的数值模拟研究

利用热能工程专业基础知识和场协同原理,结合计算流体力学配套商业软件,对反光板、倾斜角度、辐照强度、集热管尺寸和水箱大小等因素,影响全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器的传热传质特性进行了数值模拟研究和可视化分析,通过数值模拟研究给出了全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器的的最佳条件。     

Experimental investigation and simulation analysis of the thermal performance of a balcony wall integrated solar water heating unit

A balcony wall type solar water heater system was designed and constructed in a high-rise building. The U-type evacuated glass tube solar collector is fixed vertically on the balcony wall. The water, heated in the solar collector, flows through the exchanger coil in the water tank and then flows back to the solar collector. With regard to the hot water supply system, the cold water, heated by the heat exchanger, is sent to the point of use. Considering storeys and water consumption pattern, four apartments are selected for testing. Meanwhile, the theoretical analysis with TRNSYS was presented. According to the experimental results, mean daily collector efficiency is about 40%. Solar fraction is high in summer and autumn for the relative high radiation and high ambient temperature. Under given conditions, the annual energy extracted from tank is 2805.3 MJ/m², and the annual solar fraction is 40.5%. When the tank volume-to-collector area ratio is decreased to 37.5 L/m², the solar fraction can be increased to 50%. The results show that the family to use water all day round gets higher solar fraction than the family using hot water mostly in the morning and night.     

非跟踪低倍聚光热管式真空管集热器的实验研究

太阳能是一种取之不尽用之不竭的清洁能源,但存在分散性强、能量密度低、不稳定等特点,因此为了得到高能量密度和稳定的能量供应,需要解决聚光和储能两大问题。针对这两个问题,本文采用非跟踪低倍聚光的集热器和保温效果良好的储热油箱,提出了一种非跟踪低倍聚光热管式真空管集热器;基于几何光学原理,模拟了热管式真空管和半圆聚光器的不同放置方式和位置的聚光效率,制作了半圆形聚光热管式真空管集热器系统,选择了合适的储热油箱并进行了保温效果的理论计算;最后对该系统进行了集热性能测试实验。实验结果表明,在半圆形聚光器的聚光下,系统的瞬时效率截距为0.66,热损系数为2.53 W/(m2•℃)。该系统完全能够满足人们的日常生活用热的需求,具有良好的应用前景。     

Measurement and simulation of flow rate in a water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heater

This paper evaluates the characteristics of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters including assessment of the circulation rate through single ended tubes. A numerical model of the heat transfer and fluid flow inside a single-ended evacuated tube has been developed assuming no interaction between adjacent tubes in the collector array. Flow measurement using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) has been undertaken to validate the numerical model. The experimental rig consists of a single full-scale tube coupled to a storage tank. A non-dimensional correlation has been developed of the circulation rate through a single evacuated tube mounted at 45° inclination over a diffuse reflector. Simulation results show that the natural convection flow rate in the tube is high enough to disturb the tank’s stratification and that the tank temperature strongly affects the circulation flow rate through the tubes. Circumferential heat distribution was found to be an important parameter influencing the flow structure and circulation rate through the tube, hence a separate correlation needs to be developed if a concentrating reflector is incorporated into the collector.     

Experimental investigation on thermal performance of thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger

The thermal performance of thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger was investigated to show its applicability in China. The effect on the performance of the collector of using a heat exchanger between the collector and the tank was analyzed. A “heat exchanger penalty factor” for the system was determined and energy balance equation in the system was presented. Outdoor tests of thermal performance of the thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger were taken in Kunming, China. Experimental results show that mean daily efficiency of the thermosyphon flat plate solar water heater with a mantle heat exchanger with 10 mm gap can reach up to 50%, which is lower than that of a thermosyphon flat-plate solar water heater without heat exchanger, but higher than that of a all-glass evacuated tubular solar water heater.     

真空管热水器倾角的数值模拟分析

利用fluent软件中的太阳载荷模型对真空管家用太阳热水器进行了三维数值模拟计算,分析了30°、45°、60°倾角下真空管热水器内的流场和温度场随加热时间的变化及传热和流动过程。结果表明,真空管热水器在加热期间,在真空管管口的上壁面出现温度最大值,水箱内真空管管口以下水的温度相对于管口以上的温度分层很明显,水箱内真空管管口以上的热水温度几乎相同,说明水箱内管口以上的水进行了充分混合;对于30°和45°倾角的系统,随着加热时间的增加,水箱内管口以下的水温与管口以上的水温从10 K增加到30 K,以45°倾角为例,当考虑了水箱内管口以下的冷水区时,随着加热时间的增加,真空管与水箱内的温差从0.73 K增大到1.13 K,仅考虑水箱内均匀分布的三点时,随着加热时间的增加,真空管与水箱内的温差从0.15 K减小到了0.03 K;随着系统倾角从30°增加到60°,水箱内管口以下的冷水区域在逐渐减小。因此,为了减小水箱底部的冷水区,插入水箱内的真空管应尽可能短。     

真空玻璃盖板热管平板式太阳能热水器的研制

介绍了研究成功的采用真空玻璃盖板的热管平板式太阳能热水器,测试了其性能,并与全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器和蜂窝热管太阳能热水器进行了比较。实测得到,真空玻璃盖板热管平板式热水器的日平均效率比后两分别大13．3％和6．5％,平均热损系数比后两分别小52．5％和21．5％。真空玻璃盖板平板式太阳能热水器性能优越,有很好的应用前景。     

热管太阳能集热器系统的研究

建筑物大面积集中供热已成为节能降耗的新,也是太阳能热利用发展的趋势。文章介绍了在原有铜铝复合板的基础上,试制的一种结合多层建筑的集中供热热管式太阳能供热系统,克服了原有的平板式和真空管式集热系统易炸管,易冻裂及结垢,单管损坏后整个系统失效等问题。     

Investigation on a mini-CPC hybrid solar thermoelectric generator unit

A hybrid solar hot water and Bi₂Te₃-based thermoelectric generator (TEG) unit using a heat pipe evacuated tube collector with mini-compound parabolic concentrator (mini-CPC) is proposed. In this unit, the heat from the heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector is transferred to the hot side of TEG. Simultaneously, water cooling is used at the cold side to maintain the temperature difference. Electricity is generated by TEG and the remaining heat is transferred to water at the same time. This paper investigates how to convert excess solar heat into electricity more effectively. A mathematical model regarding this unit is developed and validated. It is found that the mini-CPC can significantly improve the electrical efficiency. The optimal thermal conductance of TEG is determined, which could make the best use of excess solar heat. The excess solar heat can be effectively converted into electricity when ZT of Bi₂Te₃ can be improved from 100 °C to 200 °C. Using TEG with ZT = 1.0 and a geometrical concentrating ratio at 0.92, electrical and thermal efficiencies of this system are predicted to be 3.3% and 48.6% when solar radiation and water temperature are 800 Wm⁻² and 20 °C, respectively.     

全玻璃真空太阳集热管光—热性能

从能量平衡议程导出全玻璃真空太阳集热管的3个光－热性能参数,即热损系数UTL、闷晒太阳曝辐量H和空晒性能参数Y与真空热管理的罩管玻璃的太阳透射比τ、选择性吸收表面的太阳吸收比a、发射比ε、和集热管内的气体压强p,太阳辐照度、环境温度和真空太阳集热管的几何尺寸等函数关系。理论计算的真空太阳集热管的3个热性能参数与实验的结果比较一致。上述全玻璃真空太阳集热管的光－热性能参数已经被国家标准《全玻璃真空太阳集热管》（GB／T17049－1997）采用。