Developed for a class in Solar Thermal Design, this project investigated the feasability of designing and manufacturing polymer solar thermal collectors for the purpose of heating domestic hot water supplies. Feasability was measured using several metrics, including manufacturing cost, energy efficiency, durability and reliability, and the time required for a buyer to see return on the investment. The analysis concludes that overall, although durability limitations prevent polymeric collectors from lasting as long and performing as well as their copper and glass counterparts, they are an economic option in warm climates because their cost of manufacturing is dramatically lower. In Phoenix, Arizona, using two polymeric collectors within a direct domestic hot water system enables homeowners to reduce their annual energy costs by 75%. With the incentives offered to reduce up-front costs, this system pays for itself within two years
One of the final collector designs settled upon
The analysis consisted of two broad phases. In the first
phase many simulations were carried out, modeling a wide
variety of collector configurations by varying such attributes
such as the thermal conductivity of the plate material,
the tube geometry and layout, the mounting angle,
the cover type, and the insulation. From this information,
material choices and collector configurations were narrowed
down to a handful of promising options for further
analysis.The analysis consisted of two broad phases. In the first phase many simulations were carried out, modeling a wide variety of collector configurations by varying such attributes such as the thermal conductivity of the plate material, the tube geometry and layout, the mounting angle, the cover type, and the insulation. From this information, material choices and collector configurations were narrowed down to a handful of promising options for further analysis.
The analysis consisted of two broad phases. In the first phase many simulations were carried out, modeling a wide variety of collector configurations by varying such attributes such as the thermal conductivity of the plate material, the tube geometry and layout, the mounting angle, the cover type, and the insulation. From this information, material choices and collector configurations were narrowed down to a handful of promising options for further analysis.The analysis consisted of two broad phases. In the first phase many simulations were carried out, modeling a wide variety of collector configurations by varying such attributes such as the thermal conductivity of the plate material, the tube geometry and layout, the mounting angle, the cover type, and the insulation. From this information, material choices and collector configurations were narrowed down to a handful of promising options for further analysis.
The analysis consisted of two broad phases. In the first phase many simulations were carried out, modeling a wide variety of collector configurations by varying such attributes such as the thermal conductivity of the plate material, the tube geometry and layout, the mounting angle, the cover type, and the insulation. From this information, material choices and collector configurations were narrowed down to a handful of promising options for further analysis.
Our analysis of a variety of materials as compared to the industry standard of copper
Our analysis of the benefits of serpentine and parallel tube layouts
Our analysis of the benefits of various cover materials
The second phase of the analysis involved looking at the collector efficiency in the context of its contribution to the domestic hot water load, and translating this into economic terms. An open-loop, active system was selected in accordance with the Phoenix climate and was used in conjunction with the collector designs to determine how much of the monthly and yearly heating load could be met. In tandem with this analysis, the economics of the selected systems were examined, to determine the amount of time it would take for the system to pay for itself in decreased utility bills.
Our cost analysis
One of two final feasable designs we settled on
