Tutorial 5
Tutorial 5
Q1. An array of 10 flat plate solar collector panels is installed in parallel in Patiala to heat water. Each
solar collector panel has 1 m width and 2 m length. The flow rate of water through each collector
panel is 0.03 kg/s and the water enters the solar collector at 40°C temperature. The specific heat of
water is 4.19 kJ/kg°C. For the collector assume the overall loss coefficient (UL) to be 8.0 W/m2°C
and the collector efficiency factor (F1) to be 0.84. The average hourly radiation on the plane of
collector (Ig), the average hourly radiation absorbed by the absorber plate (S) and the average hourly
ambient temperature (Ta) during an hour 10-11 am were found to be 3.92 MJ/m2, 3.29 MJ/m2 and
2°C respectively. Determine total useful energy gain by an array of solar panels and hourly collector
efficiency during the hour 10 to 11 am.
Ans: 35 MJ and 44.6%
Q2. A parabolic trough collector is 10 m long and 2.5 m wide. The ambient temperature is 10°C and
absorbed radiation flux per unit aperture area is 430 W/m2. The absorber is a cylindrical tube
surrounded by an evacuated cylindrical glass cover. The absorber tube has an outside diameter of
60 mm and the cylindrical glass cover has a diameter of 90 mm. The tube is made of stainless steel
(k = 16 W/m-°C) with a wall thickness of 5 mm. The collector is designed to heat a fluid entering
the absorber at 200°C at a flow rate of 0.0537 kg/s. The fluid has specific heat of 3.26 kJ/kg-°C.
The heat transfer coefficient inside the tube is 300 W/m2-°C and the overall loss coefficient is 10.6
W/m2-°C. Estimate the useful energy gain and exit fluid temperature.
Ans: 5980 W and 234°C
Q1: An array of 10 flat plate solar collector panels is installed in parallel in Patiala to heat water. Each
solar collector panel has 1 m width and 2 m length. The flow rate of water through each collector panel
is 0.03 kg/s and the water enters the solar collector at 40°C temperature. The specific heat of water is
4.19 kJ/kg°C. For the collector assume the overall loss coefficient (U L) to be 8.0 W/m2°C and the
collector efficiency factor (F1) to be 0.84. The average hourly radiation on the plane of collector (Ig),
the average hourly radiation absorbed by the absorber plate (S) and the average hourly ambient
temperature (Ta) during an hour 10-11 am were found to be 3.92 MJ/m2, 3.29 MJ/m2 and 2°C
respectively. Determine total useful energy gain by an array of solar panels and hourly collector
efficiency during the hour 10 to 11 am.
solution
Dgc Given:
L = 10 m Do = 60 mm = 0.06 m
DO
W = 2.5 m Di = 60 − 10 = 50 mm = 0.05 m
Di Ta = 10°C Dgc = 90 mm = 0.09 m
S = 430 W/m2 k = 16 W/m-°C
Tfi = 200°C
m = 0.0537 kg/s
cp = 3.26 kJ/kg-°C
hfi = 300 W/m2-°C
UL = 10.6 W/m2-°C
Using Eq. (1) to calculate useful energy gain per unit time :
Since useful energy gain is also given by: 𝑄𝑢 = 𝑚̇𝑐𝑝 (𝑇𝑓𝑜 − 𝑇𝑓𝑖 )
𝑄𝑢
∴ 𝑇𝑓𝑜 = 𝑇𝑓𝑖 + = 234℃ (𝐚𝐧𝐬)
𝑚̇𝑐𝑝