Analytical study of the optimum mass flow rate of water in a natural circulation solar collector

Dushyant Rathi *, Arbind Kumar

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.

Carbon – Science and Technology 8/3 (2016) 103 – 111. 

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Full Text (OPEN ACCESS): CST-211.pdf

Keywords: Solar collector, Mass flow rate, Overall heat transfer coefficient, Heat removal factor

Abstract: The work carried out in this project is based on analytical study. The performance parameters of a natural circulation solar collector have been evaluated using the empirical relations formulated and discussed in the literature. The study emphasizes on the method of evaluation of optimum mass flow rate of water in a Solar Collector for a given inlet and outlet temperature of water flowing through the collector. The mass flow rate of water in the collector has been evaluated using an iteration method. An excel spreadsheet has been prepared to calculate the mass flow rate.