DEM 203(THERMODYNAMICS 1) SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY COLLECTOR HEAT EXCHANGER

DEADLINE NAME :1/03/2011 :V.KATHIRAVAN (092004471) TAN SHI YO (092004921) LEE CHAN SIANG (092004504) SURESH(092004901)

SUBMITTED TO : Mr. ALVIN HAM KAI WEI

INTRODUCTION
A solar thermal collector is a solar collector designed to collect heat by absorbing sunlight. The term is applied to solar hot water panels, but may also be used to denote more complex installations such as solar parabolic, solar trough and solar towers or simpler installations such as solar air heat. The more complex collectors are generally used in solar power plants where solar heat is used to generate electricity by heating water to produce steam which drives a turbine connected to an electrical generator. The simpler collectors are typically used for supplemental space heating in residential and commercial buildings. A collector is a device for converting the energy in solar radiation into a more usable or storable form. The energy in sunlight is in the form of electromagnetic radiation from the infrared (long) to the ultraviolet (short) wavelengths. The solar energy striking the Earth's surface depends on weather conditions, as well as location and orientation of the surface, but overall, it averages about 1,000 watts per square meter under clear skies with the surface directly perpendicular to the sun's rays.

HEAT MOVEMENT
CONDUCTION Its a transfer of heat through a solid material or from one material to another where their surfaces are touching.Heat is conducted more easily through a solid material than through layers of material even when the layers are held together tightly.

THE MATERIALS WE USE

MATERIALS
Rubber Tube Copper Tube Aluminium Foil Plastic Container

QUANTITY
2m 3ft 1 roller 2 unit

PROCEDURE
1) Firstly,make a hole at the bottom of the container. 2) Connect the rubber tube at the containers hole at the bottom for the water to flow through. 3) Fix in tightly the rubber tube to the copper tube. 4) Then,wrap entirely the copper tube with the aluminium foil. 5) Put a second container at the end of the copper tube to retain the result.

EXPERIMENTAL TEST
>First at all , place the energy collector under the sunlight.

>Then , have to wait approximately 30 minutes until the copper tube gets hot.

>The function of the aluminium foil is to collect or absorb heat from the sunlight and make the cooper tube hotter.

>After that, have to pour water into the container,than the water flow through hot copper tube into the second container.

>Finally,have to measure the temperature at the second container to know the incresment of the temperature .

RESULT OF THE EXPERIMENT

Time Taken (min)
0 15 30 45 60 75 90

Temperature ( C )
24.0 25.2 27.0 30.5 33.6 34.0 34.0

CONCLUSION

Solar thermal energy is a form of energy in which the sun is used to produce heat which can be utilized in a variety of ways. People have been using solar thermal energy for thousands of years for a variety of tasks, and modern technology has considerably expanded the applications for the sun's thermal energy. This form of energy can also be used for cooking, sometimes in very creative ways. Solar ovens use solar thermal energy, and solar thermal energy can be used to heat water to generate steam for cooking.More than that,heat from the sun can be used in electricity generation. This requires some extensive support technology, but one advantage is that since heat can be stored, a solar thermal energy plant can operate 24 hours a day to meet power needs. These facilities are typically located in areas which get a lot of sun, so that the maximum amount of solar thermal energy can be harnessed.