The Solar Collector
The
absorption plate is made of black chrome on nickel-plated
stainless steel. This material has very high short-wave
absorptivity (solar light) together with low long-wave
emissitivity. This means that nearly all of the radiation that
reaches the absorption plate will be absorbed. The absorption
plate is raised from the reflective bottom of the larger glass
box by legs made out of a highly insulating material, such as
ceramic. As incoming salt water enters the absorption plate,
the stream is divided into smaller separate channels. Each
channel is a small square duct, allowing for a larger surface
area to volume ratio than with a circular channel of the same
volume. A SolidWorks model of the solar energy collector is
shown below:
Figure
3. Solar heater schematic.
The
following values have been used in calculations for the trial
case of the desalination design.
| Solar
Absorber Figures |
| Ducts
in Exchanger |
4 |
| Cross-Sectional
Area per Duct (m2) |
1.00E-04 |
| Length
of Duct (m) |
0.54 |
| Hydraulic
Mean Diameter (m) |
0.01 |
| Distance
Between Ducts (m) |
0.02 |
| Insolation
Area (m2) |
0.0756 |
| Width
of Collector (m) |
0.14 |
| Depth
to/from Duct (m): |
0.00375 |
| Depth
of Collector (m): |
0.0175 |
| Bulk
Volume of Collector (m3): |
1.11E-03 |
| Volume
of Ducts (m3): |
2.16E-04 |
| Heat
Transfer Area of Ducts (m2): |
0.0864 |
Table
1.
Dimensions for the solar absorber plates (collectors).
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