66

4.6 COLLECTOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Following figure representing the dimensions of collector, this can be used for to find out
the instantaneous efficiency of solar point thermal energy collection system.

Fig.4.6.1 Dimensions of collector arrangement

From the above dimensions, it can be easy to calculate the thermal performance of solar point
collector as well as solar point thermal energy collection system. As the similar way of using
these dimensions, efficiency can also be calculated.
 67

Fig.4.6.2 Fin type absorber and tube arrangement

Evaluating Overall loss coefficient (U L) & Instantaneous Efficiency( )ni

Factor Specification

Length of Collector = 0.4m

Width of Collector = 0.4m

Length of the Absorber plate,L 1 = 0.25m

Width of Absorber plate,L 2 = 0.35m

Collector size = 0.4 x 0.4m

No. of glass,N = 1

Thermal conductivity of
= 401 W / m°C
the plate material(Cu) κi

Glass Plate thickness = 10 mm

Plate to Cover Spacing = 10 cm

Coimbatore (11°00' N,
Location of Collector =
76°59' E)

Date = March 19
 68

Collector tilt = 21 °c (varying)

Solar radiation Beam H B = 750 W/m 2

Solar radiation Diffuse H D = 350 W/m 2

Transmittance absorptance product for Beam

= 0.699
radiation ( τ .α )b

Transmittance absorptance product for diffuse

= 0.641
radiation ( τ .α )d

Outer diameter of the tube, Do = 10 mm

Inner diameter of the tube Di = 8 mm

Tube centre to centre distance,W = 5 cm

Glass cover absorptivity, α = 0.88

Fluid to tube heat transfer coefficient , hf = 205 W / m 2 °C

.
Water flow rate, m = 2.83 kg/hr

Water inlet temperature, Tfi = 32 °C

Back insulation Thickness, δ b = 5 cm

Insulation thermal Conductivity, κi = 0.08 W / m°C

Over all loss coefficient (U L) = 5.42 W / m 2 °K

6.2 Calculation UL

Sky Temperature

Tsky = Ta - 6

Tsky = 305 - 6 =299 K

Calculation of hp- c1
 69

Mean temperature of air between plate and first cover

336 + 310
= = 323 K
2

At this Temperature*

κ = 0.0283W / m − K

ν = 17 .95 ×10 −6 m 2 / s

Pr = 0.698

RaL cos β = 9.81 ×

1 (326 − 320 ) × 0.02 3
× 0..698 cos 21 ° = 2951.04
323 17 .95 2 ×10 −12

therefore, N uL = 0.299 (2951 ) = 2.239

0.252

2.239 × 0.0283
h p − c1 = = 0.8W / m 2 − K
0.03

Calculation of hw

Mean temperature of air between second cover and ambient

304 + 306
= = 305 K
2

At this temperature*

ρ =1.162 kg / m 3

C P = 1.002 kJ / kg − K

ν = 16 .05 ×10 −6 m 2 / s

Pr = 0.7

* Properties of air and water are given in Appendix 2

Characteristic dimension
 70

4 Ac 4 ×(0.4 + 0.05 )( 0.4 + 0.05 )

L* = = = 0.45 m
Cc 2(0.4 + 0.05 + 0.4 + 0.05 )0

10 × 0.45
ReL = −6
= 0.2804 ×10 6
16 .05 ×10

j = 0.86(ReL*)-1/2 = 0.86 ×(0.2804 ×10 6 ) −1 / 2 = 0.0016

−2 / 3
therefore hw = 0.0016 ×1.162 ×1.002 ×0.5 ×10 ×(0.7)
3
= 1.284 W/m2-K

After substituting these Value into Equation below,

σ (T 4 pm − Tc1 )
4
qt
= h p − c1 (T pm − Tc1 ) +
Ap  1 
 + 1 − 1
ε 
 p εc 
- Equation 1.0

qt
= ( 0.8) (338 − 319 ) +
5.67 × 10 −8 (338 4 − 319 4 )
Ap  1 1 
 + − 1
 0.92 0.88 

qt
= 141 .0
Ap

qt
= hw ( Tc1 − Ta ) + σ εc (Tc42 − Tsky
4
) - Equation 2.0
Ap

qt
= 7.6( 319 − 305 ) + 4.99 ×10 −8 (319 4 − 299 4 )
Ap

qt
= 141 .23
Ap

To obtain the Value of Tc1 which satisfy the equations. The calculation is shown in Table
 71

(qt/Ap) from
Tc1(K)
Eq.1.0 Eq.2.0

315 167 110

316 160.4 117

318 147.2 133.2

319 140.2 140.5

The values of (qt/Ap) in the last line of the table are reasonably close to each to other.
Therefore the average value of 140.5 W/m2 is acceptable.

Therefore,

Top Loss coefficient

140 .5
Ut = = 3.469 W / m 2 − K
(345 .5 − 305 )

Bottom loss coefficient

κi
Ub =
δb

0.03
Ub = = 0.06W / m 2 − K
0.05

Side Loss coefficient

( L1 + L2 ) L3κ i
Us =
L1 L2δ s

(0.25 + 0.35 ) × 0.1 × 0.03

Us =
0.25 × 0.35 × 0.02

=1.0286W/m2-K
 72

Overall loss Coefficient

Ut = Ut + Ub + Us

Ut =3.469+0.06+1.0286

= 4.56 W/m2-K

Calculation Instantaneous ηi

Solar declination δ
 284 + n 
δ = 2.345 sin  360 × 
 365 

(n = 80 for march 21)

 284 + 80 
= 2.345 sin  360 ×  = 1.8°
 365 

Local Solar Time (L.S.T)

= 10h 09’

(10h 09’ means 111 minutes (1 hr 51’) prior to solar noon).

111
∴hour angle ω=
60
×15 = 27 .75 °

Angle of incidence of Beam radiation

cos θ = cos( φ − s ) cos δ cos ω + sin( φ − s ) sin δ

= cos( 11 ° − 21 °) cos 1.8°cos 27 .75 ° + sin( 11 ° − 21 °) sin 1.8°

= 0.8803

θ = 28 .32 °
 73

Solar Flux Incident on the Collector

cos( θ − s ) cos δ cos ω + sin( φ − s ) sin δ

Rb = cos φ cos δ cos ω + sin φ sin δ

cos (11 − 21) cos 1.8 cos 27 .75 + sin (11 − 21) sin 1.8
= cos 11 ° cos 1.8 cos 27 .75 + sin 11 ° sin 1.8

= 0.9896

1 + cos s 1 − cos s ρ
HT = HbRb + Hd +(Hb +Hd)
2 2

1 + cos 11 1 − cos 11
= 750 × 0.9896 + 350 × +1100 × 0 .2
2 2

= 1091 W/m2

Incident flux absorbed by the absorber Plate

S = HT × τ .α

1 − coss
(τ.α) (τ.α) × ρ × (τ.α)
= HbRb + HdRd
b d+ Hb+Hd
2 d

= 750 × 0.9896 × 0.699 + 350 × 0.991 × 0.641 +1100 × 0.0018 × 0.641

= 872.458 W/m2

 1 + cos s 1 + cos 11 
Rd = = = 0.991 
 2 2 

Heat removal factor FR.

UL 4.56
m2 = =
κ δ 401 × 1.3 × 10 −3

m = 2.5 (m-1)
 74

The half length Between the Tube

W − Do 0.11 − 0.010
= = = 0.05 m
2 2

m(W − Do )
= 2.5 × 0.05 = 0.125
2

Fin efficiency

 W − Do 
tanh m 
 2 
F=
 W − Do 
m 
 2 

tanh 0.125
= = 0.9952
0.125

Collector efficiency factor

1 / 4.56
F'=
 1 1  = 0.765
0.1 + 
4.56 (0.01 + (0.9952 + 0.95 )) 3.14 × 0.08 ×350 

mCp   U L F ' Ac 

− mCp  
∴FR =

1 −exp  

AcU L 
 


125 .61   0.558 

−  
= 1 −exp  125 .61 
 =1.0352
0.7296 
 


Useful gain

Qu = Ac FR
[ S −U L ( f fi − t a ) ]
= 0.16 ×1.0352 [(1100 * 0.699 ) − 4.56 ( 26 − 32 )] = 131 .86W .

Instantaneous efficiency
 75

Qu 131 .86
ηi = = =75.54%
AcHr 0.16 ×1091

The amount of energy absorbed or converted by a solar collector (over a 15-minute

period) is called Instantaneous efficiency. In this solar point thermal energy collection
system absorbing capacity is very high compared to that of solar flat plate collector. This
novel solar point collector restrain the efficiency of 75% and it can be obtain up to 90%
by achieving the improved fabrication methodologies and materials.