Investigation and Development of Liquid Flat Plate Solar Collector using Concrete as Absorber Plate and its Performance Testing

Abstract

In order to increase usage of solar water heater (SWH) for domestic purposes instead of conventional sources of heating water which contribute towards energy crisis& global warming an attempt is made to use non conventional cost effective method to produce hot water. Hence by keeping the objective of low cost liquid flat plate solar collector, we replace the costliest component of collector, which is the metal absorber plate with the concrete absorber plate. Here the feasibility of utilizing non metal (concrete) for making liquid flat plate solar collector, in Pune, has been investigated. Thus 2m X 1m concrete collector is designed, fabricated and tested for various months and for different mass flow rates. It was observed that, the average temperature of hot water collected in rainy season was in the range of 47 ˚C to 57 ˚C, in winter season was 48 ˚C to 59 ˚C and in summer season was 56 ˚C to 80 C˚. Therefore, concrete collector can be used to collect large quantity of hot water . This paper also paves way for possible integration of concrete collector with roof slab. Such integration will also provide comfort temperature zone within the building.