Date: 9/3/2014

To: Dr. Lucietto

From: Sam Moan
Subject: Solar Energy

LAB REPORT SECTIONS & GRADING:
Experiment Performance/Participation ______ / 35

Executive Summary ______ / 10


Technical Details

Apparatus Sketch ______ / 5

Data Sheets ______ / 10

Results Tables/Graphs ______ / 15

Sample Calculations ______ / 10

What did you learn in this lab? ______ / 15

Penalties* (Spelling/Grammar/Writing) ( ____ )

TOTAL ______ / 100


*NOTE: Spelling/grammar/writing errors will be penalized at a value of 1 point for each occurrence
proofread your report very carefully!
Executive Summary:
In this lab the techniques of solar energy and collection techniques were analyzed. The
solar collection system on top of Knoy and in the applied power lab were used. The first aspect
of this lab was the system setup. To do this schematics of both the air and glycol based systems
were made for clarity and understanding of how the system worked. In this system there are
multiple different solar collector configurations that had to be examined and compared for
efficiency. To do this available power, mass flow rate, and energy collected were all calculated
for efficiency calculations.
From this comparisons could be made between the panels. It was found that the Heat
Tube system was the most efficient. From the table 3 it was shown at 219.82% effiecneny which
is due to error in the solar pryanometer measurement. The reading was taken during cloudy point
of the day where the panel input and output were inconsistent with the avalible energy. The next
most efficient was the black surface finned tube glycol panel. It had an efficeny of 52.76. From
there it went to the aluminum surface finned glycol system at 34.80%, then the copper surface at
18.90%, Then to the three air systems at roughly 1% and the least efficient was the glycol black
surface at -21.42%. This negative effiencey could have been to enviormental condtions such as
rain cooling the panel and bringing colder water out than in.
This lab took a deeper look at alternative solar collectors besides just PV electric panels.
These panels take advantage of the suns energy to produce warm air and water for shop use.
Along with this it is an opportunity for panel types to be compare














Sketch:
Glycol system











Air System


Table 1. Background information and Weather Conditions

Date & Time: 9/24/14
5:26pm
Outdoor Humidity (%): 40 Current
Conditions:
partly
cloudy
Outdoor
Temperature:
(F)
74 Barometric Pressure:
(in Hg)
30.27 Incident
Solar
Intensity:
(W/m2)
489





Table 2A. Solar Panel Sketch
SOLAR PANEL DESCRIPTION
# Panel Description Solar Panel Sketch
1 Glycol
Heat Pipe

2 Glycol
Copper Surface
No Fins

3 Glycol
Black Surface
Finned Tubes

4 Glycol
Black Surface
No Fins

5 Glycol
Aluminum Surface
Finned Tubes

6 Air
Black Surface
Flat Plate

7 Air
Aluminum Surface
Perforated Plate

8 Air
Black Surface
Corrugated Plate


Table 2B. Operating data for active loop solar collectors
SOLAR PANEL DESCRIPTION SOLAR PANEL PERFORMANCE
# Panel
Descriptio
n
Solar Panel
Dimensions
Solar Panel
Angle of
Orientation:
Fluid
Flow
(gpm)
Inlet
Temperatur
e F
Outlet
Temperatur
e F
1 Glycol
Heat Pipe
1.73m x
0.74m
53 degree 0.2 81.5 139.3
2 Glycol
Copper
Surface
No Fins
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 0.3 100 104
3 Glycol
Black
Surface
Finned
Tubes
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 0.5 94.7 101.4
4 Glycol
Black
Surface
No Fins
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 0.4 100.9 97.5
5 Glycol
Aluminum
Surface
Finned
Tubes
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 0.1 95.2 117.3
6 Air
Black
Surface
Flat Plate
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 300.8 82.5 114.9
7 Air
Aluminum
Surface
Perforated
Plate
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 153.2 82.5 141.5
8 Air
Black
Surface
Corrugate
d Plate
1.91m x
0.84m
53 degree 400.7 82.7 110.9



Table 3. Summary of efficiency performance for solar energy
equipment


SOLAR PANEL
DESCRIPTION
SUN
DATA
SOLAR PANEL PERFORMANCE
# Panel
Descriptio
n
Estimate
d Rank 1
to 8
Panel
Area

(m
2)

Solar
Power
Availabl
e
(Btu/h)
Mass
Flow
Rate
(lbm/h)
Solar
Power
Collecte
d
(Btu/h)
Efficienc
y

(%)
Actual
Rank
1 to 8
1 Glycol
Heat Pipe
1 1.28 2275.29 101.80 5001.47 219.82 1
2 Glycol
Copper
Surface
No Fins
2 1.60 2675.32 148.70 505.57 18.90 4
3 Glycol
Black
Surface
Finned
Tubes
4 1.60 2675.32 247.83 1411.39 52.76 2
4 Glycol
Black
Surface
No Fins
5 1.60 2675.32 198.26 -572.98 -21.42 8
5 Glycol
Aluminum
Surface
Finned
Tubes
3 1.60 2675.32 49.57 931.10 34.80 3
6 Air
Black
Surface
Flat Plate
6 1.60 2675.32 2.56 19.92 0.74 6
7 Air
Aluminum
Surface
Perforated
Plate
7 1.60 2675.32 1.30 18.48 0.69 7
8 Air
Black
Surface
Corrugate
d Plate
8 1.60 2675.32 3.41 23.10 0.86 5

Disscusion:
From the lab I would select the heat tube design for the a solar collector. The heat Tube
was by far the most effeicent even with the avalible energy error. This panel design was
significantly more effiecent because the sunlight was able to hit the panel from all sides unlike
the others which was only one.
Some significant factors that affected the panels performance was surface area and color.
The panels that performed well were finned. The fins on the panels made more surface area for
the suns energy to hit and be absorbed by. The color of the panel also was a factor in effecinecy.
Comparing the black panels to the bare metal panels, the black allowed for more energy
absorbstion.
I would improve panel effiency by incorporating the most efficient aspects of each panel
into one. From the lab the heat tube was the most efficient so that would be the base design.
From this I would add fins to heat tubes to produce more surface area and more energy
absorbtion. I would leave the tube clear and paint the fins black in order for more heat to be
abosorbed. Incorperating many high performance aspect of each panel would produce a efficient
new panel.
What did I learn:
From the lab we learned the different aspects and styles of solar collection systems. In
the lab we got to diagnoise the systems and incorporate a schematic. The schematic was a
learning experience using and learning the schematic symbols for differnet aspects in the solar
collector system.
This lab was also an experience when it came to learning about how the suns energy can
be quantified and compared to the output energy. This was done using the solar pryano meter
and comparing the heat output from the glycol system. This lab taught me the aspects of solar
power.