Experimental Investigation and Performance Analysis of Flat Plate Solar Collector Having Distilled Water as the Heat Transfer Fluid

Abstract

This novel work consisted of analysing the performance of Flat plate solar collector (FPSC) mathematically on a new novel experimental set up. Firstly, the experiments were performed on a machine procured from ECOSENSE sustainable solutions private limited, which is a sustainable solar thermal training system. The inlet temperature, outlet temperature, plate temperature, and storage tank temperature were noted by experimenting under artificial solar simulator having a fixed intensity of 500 W/m2 at various flow rates of HTF (Heat transfer fluid) which is water, such as 0.0085 kg/sec, 0.012 kg/sec and 0.017 kg/sec. The calculated performance parameters were collector efficiency, heat removal rate, collector efficiency factor, and total heat loss coefficient. They were analysed and studied graphically along with the related uncertainty and uncertainties values propagated to calculated results at a flow rate of .0085 kg/sec. Such kind of apparatus when coupled to naval ships can offer sustainable solutions in terms of the energy needed to propel the ships.