Effect of the storage tank thermal insulation on the thermal performance of an integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH)

The thermal behavior of an integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) is numerically studied using CFD simulations. Based on the good agreement between the numerical results and the experimental data from literature, we propose a geometrical change allowing limiting the main disadvantage of this solar system which is its high night losses due to the non-insulated storage tank surface. A second 3D CFD model of an ICSSWH in which the storage tank is partially insulated is developed and three values of this tank thermal insulated fraction are studied. Numerical results show that the partially insulated tank based ICSSWH presents lower thermal losses during the night and this night thermal losses coefficient is reduced from 14.6 to 11.64 W K^?1 for the tank thermal insulation fraction τ = 1/4. Similarly, the modified system presents the advantage of its lower thermal losses even during the day. Regarding the thermal production, it is seen that the modified system presents higher water temperature at night and that for all the tank thermal insulation fractions. Concerning the operation of this modified system during the day, the water temperature is lower during the day and that up to 16 h but the water temperature which achieves 324 K for the storage tank thermal insulation fraction τ = 1/8 still sufficiently high to satisfy a family hot water needs.     

Thermal performance of an integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) with a storage tank equipped with radial fins of rectangular profile

The thermal behavior of an integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) is numerically studied using the package Fluent 6.3. Based on the good agreement between the numerical results and the experimental data of Chaouachi and Gabsi (Renew Energy Revue 9(2):75–82, 2006), an attempt to improve this solar system operating was made by equipping the storage tank with radial fins of rectangular profile. A second 3D CFD model was developed and a series of numerical simulations were conducted for various SWH designs which differ in the depth of this extended surface for heat exchange. As the modified surface presents a higher characteristic length for convective heat transfer from the storage tank to the water, the fins equipped storage tank based SWH is determined to have a higher water temperature and a reduced thermal losses coefficient during the day-time period. Regarding the night operating of this water heater, the results suggest that the modified system presents higher thermal losses.     

Experimental investigation on the photovoltaic–thermal solar heat pump air-conditioning system on water-heating mode

An experimental study on operation performance of photovoltaic–thermal solar heat pump air-conditioning system was conducted in this paper. The experimental system of photovoltaic–thermal solar heat pump air-conditioning system was set up. The performance parameters such as the evaporation pressure, the condensation pressure and the coefficient of performance (COP) of heat pump air-conditioning system, the water temperature and receiving heat capacity in water heater, the photovoltaic (PV) module temperature and the photovoltaic efficiency were investigated. The experimental results show that the mean photovoltaic efficiency of photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T) solar heat pump air-conditioning system reaches 10.4%, and can improve 23.8% in comparison with that of the conventional photovoltaic module, the mean COP of heat pump air-conditioning system may attain 2.88 and the water temperature in water heater can increase to 42 °C. These results indicate that the photovoltaic–thermal solar heat pump air-conditioning system has better performances and can stably work.     

Ice slurry based thermal storage in multifunctional buildings

 Ice slurry based thermal storage plays an important role in reshaping patterns of electricity use for space cooling and heating. It offers inherent advantages in energy efficiency, operating savings, load follow-up and flexible installation over conventional thermal storage technologies. This paper provides discussions on the generation mechanism and performance of ice slurry, as well as the operation principle of the ice slurry based thermal storage system. Details of the system design, control strategy and operation performance are given through a case study on a recent installation in Herbis Osaka, the largest simple building complex in Japan. An evaluation of different installations with ice slurry thermal storage reveals that it is a rewarding technology that provides significant operating savings for the building air-conditioning and improves energy utilization efficiency in modern society. Received on 23 March 2001     

Enhance of heat transfer on unsteady Hiemenz flow of nanofluid over a porous wedge with heat source/sink due to solar energy radiation with variable stream condition

Nanofluid-based direct solar receivers, where nanoparticles in a liquid medium can scatter and absorb solar radiation, have recently received interest to efficiently distribute and store the thermal energy. The objective of the present work is to investigate theoretically the unsteady homogeneous Hiemenz flow of an incompressible viscous nanofluid past a porous wedge due to solar energy (incident radiation). The conclusion is drawn that the temperature is significantly influenced by magnetic strength, nanoparticle volume fraction, convective radiation and porosity of the wedge sheet.     

An experimental investigation of the performance boundaries of a solar water heating system

This paper presents the performance characteristics of a solar water heating system consisting of a 3 m² flat plate collector and a 68 L tank, from readings taken over a period of 2 years under real weather conditions. It focuses on the characteristics and the behavior of the system, its response to solar radiation and hot water flow rate through the collector under no load conditions and in the evaluation of the errors associated with the system performance measurements. The system behavior proved to be linear with small relative standard deviations (less than 15%) within the values of the calculated errors and also relatively insensitive to solar radiation fluctuations ranging from 800 to 1100 W/m². Flow rate variations from 0.07 and up to 0.25 L/s did not produce any noticeable effects on the energy collected in the storage tank of the system under investigation. The calculated absolute errors in the system instantaneous efficiency ranged from 34% for low flow and up to 20% for the high flows.     

Carbon nanotubes on unsteady MHD non-Darcy flow over porous wedge in presence of thermal radiation energy

The thermal radiation energy is the clean energy with a much lower environmental impact than the conventional energy. The objective of the present work is to investigate theoretically the effect of copper nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the presence of base fluid (water) with the variable stream condition due to the thermal radiation energy. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in the presence of base fluid flow over a porous wedge play a significant role compared to those of copper nanoparticles on absorbing the incident solar radiation and transiting it to the working fluid by convection.     

Extraction of exergy from solar collectors under time-varying conditions

Maximization of energy delivery is the fundamental problem in solar collector thermal design. This paper examines the trade-off between the storage and the immediate use of solar exergy, with the objective of maximising the long-term exergy output from a solar collector installation. It is demonstrated that a trade-off exists, and that for maximum exergy output the collector and the collector-user interaction must conform to a well-defined pattern. It is also shown that the practice of operating collectors at constant temperature, regardless of time of day, is responsible for a sizeable and steady exergy loss     

Electrical and thermal performances of photovoltaic/thermal systems with magnetic nanofluids:A review

Enhancing solar photovoltaic and thermal conversion performances may help develop more environmentally friendly hybrid photovoltaic/thermal(PV/T)systems that can be used in applications ranging from household to industrial scales.Owing to their enhanced thermal and optical properties,nanofluids have proven to be good candidates for designing PV/T systems with superior performances.As smart nanofluids,magnetic nanofluids(MNFs)can further enhance the performances of PV/T systems under external magnetic fields.This paper reviews recent developments in enhancing the electrical and thermal performances of PV/T systems using magnetic nanofluids.Various parameters affecting the performances are highlighted,and some areas for further investigations are discussed.The reviewed literature shows that PV/T systems with MNFs are promising.However,their performances need further investigation before they can be used in applications.     

一种基于硅基波导的新型谐振式集成光学陀螺

介绍了一种基于单偏振波导环形谐振腔的新型集成光学陀螺及单偏振环形波导谐振腔的实现方法。其中单偏振光波导由SiO2衬底层、锗掺杂SiO2波导芯层和SiO2上包层组成,整个结构可用硅热氧化技术和PECVD技术生长在硅衬底上。用BPM(束传播法)对设计的单偏振环形谐振腔的传输特性进行仿真分析。结果表明,当入射光波长为1550nm时,此单偏振波导谐振腔对TM模式传输光的消光比是25dB/cm,而对TE模式传输光的传输损耗是0.05dB/cm,谐振腔的精细度可达到35。单偏振波导谐振腔的这些特点适于集成光学陀螺的应用要求,由其研制的集成光学陀螺的分辨率可达到16(°)/h。     

Sensitivity analysis of thermal performances of flat plate solar air heaters

Sensitivity analysis is a mathematical tool, first developed for optimization methods, which aim is to characterize a system response through the variations of its output parameters following modifications imposed on the input parameters of the system. Such an analysis may quickly become laborious when the thermal model under consideration is complex or the number of input parameters is high. In this paper, we develop a mathematical model to analyse the heat exchanges in four different types of solar air collectors. When building this thermal model we show that for each collector, at quasi-steady state, the energy balance equations of the components of the collector cascade into a single first-order non-linear differential equation that is able to predict the thermal behaviour of the collector. Our heat transfer model clearly demonstrates the existence of an important dimensionless parameter, referred to as the thermal performance factor of the collector, that compares the useful thermal energy which can be extracted from the heater to the overall thermal losses of that collector for a given set of input parameters. A sensitivity analysis of our thermal model has been performed for the most significant input parameters such as the incident solar irradiation, the inlet fluid temperature, the air mass flow rate, the depth of the fluid channel, the number and nature of the transparent covers in order to measure the impact of each of these parameters on our model. An important result which can be drawn from this study is that the heat transfer model developed is robust enough to be used for thermal design studies of most known flat plate solar air heaters, but also of flat plate solar water collectors and linear solar concentrators.     

Thermal analysis of a finned-tube LHTS module for a solar dynamic power system

 This paper investigates the transient behaviour of a finned tube latent heat thermal storage (LHTS) module that is put into use in space based power systems, or such similar energy storage applications. The shell side of the module is loaded with phase change material (PCM) while the tubes carry the heat transfer fluid (HTF). Thin circumferential fins are added externally onto the tube surface at equal spacings. The LHTS module is mathematically modeled with an enthalpy based method and the resulting system of conjugate governing equations is numerically solved for charging mode. The influence of various parameters viz. geometrical, thermophysical and various non-dimensional numbers on the performance of the unit is studied. Numerical results indicate an appreciable enhancement in the energy storage process with the addition of fins in the module for an effective utilisation of the available solar energy during the active phase of the orbit orcharging cycle. Received on 1 September 2000 / Published online: 29 November 2001     

Passive morphing of flying wing aircraft: Z-shaped configuration

High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft can achieve sustained, uninterrupted flight time if they use solar power. Wing morphing of solar powered HALE aircraft can significantly increase solar energy absorbency. An example of the kind of morphing considered in this paper requires the wings to fold so as to orient a solar panel to be hit more directly by the sun's rays at specific times of the day. An example of the kind of morphing considered in this paper requires the wings to fold so as to orient a solar panel that increases the absorption of solar energy by decreasing the angle of incidence of the solar radiation at specific times of the day. In this paper solar powered HALE flying wing aircraft are modeled with three beams with lockable hinge connections. Such aircraft are shown to be capable of morphing passively, following the sun by means of aerodynamic forces and engine thrusts. The analysis underlying NATASHA (Nonlinear Aeroelastic Trim And Stability of HALE Aircraft), a computer program that is based on geometrically exact, fully intrinsic beam equations and a finite-state induced flow model, was extended to include the ability to simulate morphing of the aircraft into a “Z” configuration. Because of the “long endurance” feature of HALE aircraft, such morphing needs to be done without relying on actuators and at as near zero energy cost as possible. The emphasis of this study is to substantially demonstrate the processes required to passively morph a flying wing into a Z-shaped configuration and back again.     

Experimental study of enhanced heat transfer by addition of CuO nanoparticle

An energy storage system has been designed to study the thermal characteristics of paraffin wax with an embedded nano size copper oxide (CuO) particle. This paper presents studies conducted on phase transition times, heat fraction as well as heat transfer characteristics of paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) embedded with CuO nanoparticles. 40?nm mean size CuO particles of 2, 5 and 10% by weight were dispersed in PCM for this study. Experiments were performed on a heat exchanger with 1.5–10?l/min of heat transfer fluid (HTF) flow. Time-based variations of the temperature distributions are revealed from the results of observations of melting and solidification curves. The results strongly suggested that the thermal conductivity enhances 6, 6.7 and 7.8% in liquid state and in dynamic viscosity it enhances by 5, 14 and 30% with increasing mass fraction of the CNEPs. The thermal conductivity ratio of the composites can be augmented by a factor up to 1.3. The heat transfer coefficient during solidification increased about 78% for the maximum flow rate. The analysis of experimental results reveals that the addition of copper oxide nanoparticles to the paraffin wax enhances both the conduction and natural convection very effectively in composites and in paraffin wax. The paraffin wax-based composites have great potential for energy storage applications like industrial waste heat recovery, solar thermal applications and solar based dynamic space power generation with optimal fraction of copper oxide nanoparticles.     

Thermal Stratification Effects on Hiemenz Flow of Nanofluid Over a Porous Wedge Sheet in the Presence of Suction/Injection Due to Solar Energy: Lie Group Transformation

The objective of the present work is to investigate theoretically the Hiemenz flow and heat transfer of an incompressible viscous nanofluid past a porous wedge sheet in the presence of thermal stratification due to solar energy (incident radiation). The wall of the wedge is embedded in a uniform Darcian porous medium to allow for possible fluid wall suction or injection and has a power–law variation of the wall temperature. The partial differential equations governing the problem under consideration are transformed by a special form of Lie symmetry group transformations viz., one-parameter group of transformation into a system of ordinary differential equations which are solved numerically by Runge–Kutta–Gill-based shooting method. The conclusion is drawn that the flow field and temperature are significantly influenced by convective radiation, thermal stratification, buoyancy force, and porosity of the sheet.     

Theoretical analysis to investigate thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector

The thermal performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector which consist of a collector 15 co-axial heat pipes surrounded by a transparent envelope and which heat a fluid flowing through the condenser tubes have been predicted using heat transfer analytical methods. The analysis considers conductive and convective losses and energy transferred to a fluid flowing through the collector condenser tubes. The thermal performances of co-axial heat pipe solar collector is developed and are used to determine the collector efficiency, which is defined as the ratio of heat taken from the water flowing in the condenser tube and the solar radiation striking the collector absorber. The theoretical water outlet temperature and efficiency are compared with experimental results and it shows good agreement between them. The main advantage of this collector is that inclination of collector does not have influence on performance of co-axial heat pipe solar collector therefore it can be positioned at any angle from horizontal to vertical. In high building where the roof area is not enough the co-axial heat pipe solar collectors can be installed on the roof as well as wall of the building. The other advantage is each heat pipe can be topologically disconnected from the manifold.     

面向双碳目标的建筑能源系统再认识

建筑领域是实现双碳目标的关键部门,在双碳目标指引下建筑能源系统需要做出革新.为此,本研究对建筑能源系统的发展任务进行了深入探讨,提出了面向双碳目标的建筑能源系统发展方向:传统的建筑能源系统以满足建筑自身冷、热、电等基本能源需求为主;双碳目标下,建筑能源系统需要从建筑节能向建筑低碳的新目标转变,需要在降低建筑本体能源需求、全面电气化、提升建筑能源系统能效水平、实现灵活可调并成为具有柔性调节能力的能源系统可调负载等方面做出变革,需要从单纯能源系统的消费者转变为集能源生产、消费、调蓄于一体的复合体.以构建低碳建筑能源系统为目标,对建筑能源系统的研究趋势进行了展望:需要进一步认识建筑能源、建筑环境营造的需求从而更好地理解建筑能源系统的基本要求,需要建筑与交通、电力等领域进一步融合,需要从单体建筑向区域建筑、城市等多个尺度上以建筑为载体构建城乡新型能源系统.本研究可为建筑能源系统如何实现自身角色转变、加快实现双碳目标下的能源系统变革提供有益参考.     

拓扑优化与仿生设计在空间太阳能电站热设计中的应用

高效热设计与热控制是高功率连续微波无线传能与空间太阳电站(SSPS)领域的研究热点之一,引起了国内外同行专家的高度关注与浓厚兴趣.本文针对欧米伽空间太阳能电站(SSPS-OM EGA)的结构特点及其对热设计与热控提出的巨大挑战,基于拓扑优化与仿生的思想,提出了一种新的热设计策略与方法.首先,联合流体出口边界与流道构型,...     

Deployment dynamics of a simplified spinning IKAROS solar sail via absolute coordinate based method

The spinning solar sail of large scale has been well developed in recent years. Such a solar sail can be considered as a rigid-flexible multibody system mainly composed of a spinning central rigid hub, a number of flexible thin tethers, sail membranes, and tip masses. A simplified interplanetary kite-craft accelerated by radiation of the Sun (IKAROS) model is established in this study by using the absolute-coordinate-based (ACB) method that combines the natural coordinate formulation (NCF) describing the central rigid hub and the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) describing flexible parts. The initial configuration of the system in the second-stage deployment is determined through both dynamic and static analyses. The huge set of stiff equations of system dynamics is solved by using the generalized-alpha method, and thus the deployment dynamics of the system can be well understood.     

Design and dynamic analysis of integrated architecture for vibration energy harvesting including piezoelectric frame and mechanical amplifier

Vibration energy harvesters(VEHs) can transform ambient vibration energy to electricity and have been widely investigated as promising self-powered devices for wireless sensor networks, wearable sensors, and applications of a micro-electro-mechanical system(MEMS). However, the ambient vibration is always too weak to hinder the high energy conversion efficiency. In this paper, the integrated frame composed of piezoelectric beams and mechanical amplifiers is proposed to improve the energy conversion efficiency of a VEH. First, the initial structures of a piezoelectric frame(PF) and an amplification frame(AF) are designed. The dynamic model is then established to analyze the influence of key structural parameters on the mechanical amplification factor. Finite element simulation is conducted to study the energy harvesting performance, where the stiffness characteristics and power output in the cases of series and parallel load resistance are discussed in detail. Furthermore, piezoelectric beams with variable cross-sections are introduced to optimize and improve the energy harvesting efficiency. Advantages of the PF with the AF are illustrated by comparison with conventional piezoelectric cantilever beams. The results show that the proposed integrated VEH has a good mechanical amplification capability and is more suitable for low-frequency vibration conditions.