Improved mathematical models of flat-plate solar collectors
This thesis examines various mathematical models of flat-plate solar collectors with the intent of analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and investigating various possible improvements. The purpose is to seek the simplest models that can provide sufficient accuracy for efficient control and design of the collector and for reliable estimation of system parameters. The first part of the thesis investigates the effects of the diffusivity of the collector fluid under steady-state operating conditions. It is shown that under zero flow conditions this diffusivity must be included in the model to accurately describe the rapid changes in the temperatures between adjacent components of the system. The second part of the thesis investigates the relationship between two well-known models for the temperature within the flat-plate solar collector. The simpler of the two models determines the temperature of the collector fluid alone and assumes the collector plate is at the same temperature as the fluid. The other model was separate state equations for the fluid and the collector. Finally, through a frequency analysis of these two different models for the flat-plate collector, it is shown how the thermal effects of the two-temperature model can be imitated by the one-temperature model by adding an artificial diffusion term into the one-temperature model.
- Research Organization:
- Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7146330
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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