Performance of a water-trickle solar collector

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7186401

Beard, J T; Huckstep, F L; May, Jr, W B; Iachetta, F A; Lilleleht, L U

A solar energy collector research facility has been designed and constructed at the University of Virginia to determine the performance of the Thomason ''Solaris'' water-trickle solar energy collector. Results are shown which demonstrate the performance of Thomason ''Solaris'' water-trickle solar collectors. Test results include efficiencies ranging from 30 percent up to approximately 70 percent. As expected, these results show a nearly linear relationship as a function of the difference between the inlet water temperature and the ambient temperature, divided by the incident solar energy. The significant scatter in the data is postulated to result from other variables such as the wind conditions, angle of incidence, water evaporation and condensation and the influence of condensate on the overall solar energy transmitted to the absorbing surface. The performance of the ''Solaris'' water-trickle collector is compared with published results for dry single and double glazed flat plate collectors. (WDM)

• Research Organization: Virginia Univ., Charlottesville (USA). School of Engineering and Applied Science
• OSTI ID: 7186401
• Report Number(s): CONF-760633-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
APPLIANCES
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
FLAT PLATE COLLECTORS
GAS APPLIANCES
HEATERS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SOLAR COLLECTORS
SOLAR WATER HEATERS
TEST FACILITIES
TESTING
WATER HEATERS