Performance measurements of a cylindrical glass honeycomb solar collector compared with predictions

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977 · J. Heat Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3450664· OSTI ID:7310785

McMurrin, J C; Djordjevic, N A; Buchberg, H

A glass tube honeycomb solar collector, composed of a conventional single-glazed flat-plate water cooled nonselective black absorber with a cylindrical glass honeycomb mounted between the plate and cover glass, was designed, fabricated, and tested. The test procedure followed the National Bureau of Standards Method of Testing for Rating Solar Collectors. The honeycomb consists of individual cylindrical thin-wall glass tubes standing on end on the absorber plate in a hexagonal close-packed pattern. The tubes are 9.5-mm ID, 0.2-mm wall thickness, 5.3 length to diameter ratio made of glass with mean solar absorptive index (k-bar), 2.6 x 10/sup -6/ ..mu../sup -1/, evaluated from spectral transmittance-reflectance measurements on a tubing specimen. The collector performance equalled or surpassed theoretical predictions for measurements made over a broad range of collector inlet temperatures and environmental conditions. Performance comparisons are made with a base-line double-glazed solar collector tested alongside the honeycomb collector. For applications requiring a working fluid temperature of 65degreeC above the ambient air temperature, honeycomb collector efficiencies of 35--55 percent may be expected for approximately a six hour period on clear days; for fluid temperature 40degreeC above ambient air temperature, efficiencies of 50--65 percent may be expected.

• Research Organization: Energy and Kinetics Department, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Calif.
• OSTI ID: 7310785
• Journal Information: J. Heat Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: J. Heat Transfer; (United States) Vol. 99:2; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
141000* -- Solar Collectors & Concentrators
CONFIGURATION
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY LOSSES
EVALUATION
GLASS
HEAT LOSSES
HONEYCOMB STRUCTURES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
PERFORMANCE
SOLAR COLLECTORS