Performance Analysis of Solar Water Heater – A Case Study in Al Seeb, Oman

Abstract

The 2040 vision of the Sultanate of Oman has given remarkable attention to providing green energy supplies to different sectors in the country. The solar water heater system is projected to boost Oman's renewable energy utilisation and help achieve the country’s energy sustainability. Due to extreme weather conditions, electric water heaters consume most of the electricity, mainly during the winter. In this study, the evacuated tube solar water heater is installed, and the system's performance at different inclination angles and weather conditions is investigated. The experiment was conducted during various weather conditions and at three different inclination angles, such as 45°, 56° and 65°. It was observed that a temperature close to 100°C was achieved during the daytime. The performance analysis of the evacuated solar water heater shows the water temperature was still high even during the evening. Extraterrestrial solar radiation plays a vital role in maintaining the water temperature in the evening. Moreover, an inclination angle of 45° performed well and produced a higher temperature of more than 90°C.Keywords: Solar Thermal, solar collector, solar water heater, temperature, performance.