DESIGN OF AN AUTONOMOUS SOLAR

POOL HEATER

College Name:

School Name:

Student Name:

Supervisor’s Name:
DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work presented in this paper is my original work and has not been copied from
anywhere. The foreign materials used in this piece of work have been accurately referenced. I therefore
affirm strongly that the same project has never been done in any institution.

Student Name:

Student Number:

Signature:

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CERTIFICATION
The student whose name appears in this paper carried out the research under my supervision.

Supervisors Name:

Signature:

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DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to my esteemed classmates whose assistance was very handy in the course of
doing this research. I also dedicate it to my family members for the support they offered during the
challenging period of doing this project.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to extend my warm gratitude to my supervisor for the positive critics and unending support
he has given me in the entire period of project proposal. I also take this opportunity to thank the entire
department of engineering for the support they have accorded to me to see the completion of this
dissertation. My classmates have also been very supportive and resourceful whenever I needed their
support. Many thanks to them. Finally, I give my gratitude to the almighty God for granting me good
health and the gift of sanity that I have managed to come this far.

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Table of Contents
DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................................... I

CERTIFICATION ....................................................................................................................................... II

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................ III

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .......................................................................................................................... IV

ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................................... IX

ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................. X

CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 1

Introduction 1

Background study ..................................................................................................................................... 1

Problem statement ................................................................................................................................. 1

Justification ........................................................................................................................................... 2

Objectives ............................................................................................................................................. 2

CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 4

Literature Review...................................................................................................................................... 4

Methods of Pool Heating ...................................................................................................................... 4

Gas and oil fired boilers ........................................................................................................................ 4

Heat Pumps ........................................................................................................................................... 5

Direct resistance electrical heating ....................................................................................................... 6

Solar panel ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Solar pool heating controllers ................................................................................................................... 9

Manual versus automatic control ........................................................................................................ 11

Manual control using three valves ...................................................................................................... 11

Bypass valve for controlling pressure/flow rate and temperature ....................................................... 12

Limitation............................................................................................................................................ 13

Automatic control valve ...................................................................................................................... 13

Working principle of a solar pool heating controller of a system with a heat exchanger ................... 15

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CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 16

Methodology 16

Temperature control Principle ............................................................................................................ 17

Freeze Protection ................................................................................................................................ 18

Nocturnal cooling................................................................................................................................ 18

Design for solar panel collectors. ........................................................................................................ 18

CHAPTER 4 ............................................................................................................................................... 23

EXPECTED RESULTS .......................................................................................................................... 23

CHAPTER 5 ............................................................................................................................................... 25

Discussion 25

CHAPTER 6 ............................................................................................................................................... 29

THE BILL OF MATERIALS ................................................................................................................. 29

CHAPTER 7 ............................................................................................................................................... 30

Schedule and Milestones......................................................................................................................... 30

References ................................................................................................................................................... 31

APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................ 33

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Figure 1: Diagram for a typical main gas boiler (Bonn, 2005). .................................................................... 5
Figure 2: an illustration of a functional heat pump (Sarbu, 2014). ............................................................... 6
Figure 3: illustration of a direct resistance electrical pool heater (Song, 2017)............................................ 7
Figure 4: 3 D view of electrical pool heater (Song, 2017). ........................................................................... 8
Figure 5: Components of a conventional solar pool heater (Johnson, 2000). ............................................... 9
Figure 6: Schematic diagram of a typical controlled solar heater (Dongellini, 2015) ................................ 10
Figure 7: Manually controlled solar heater with bypass valve closed (Dannemand, 2017) ....................... 11
Figure 8: Manually controlled solar heater with bypass valve opened (Dannemand, 2017) ...................... 12
Figure 9: Illustration of a bypass valve for regulating the pressure and temperature (Gilbert, 2016) ........ 13
Figure 10: Illustration of a pool using an automatic control valve (Gilbert, 2016) .................................... 14
Figure 11: Schematic diagram for the autonomous solar pool heater ......................................................... 17
Figure 12: 3 D and orthographic views of the solar collector and the components .................................... 22
Figure 13: The Detailed Views of the smaller components of the solar heating system ............................ 23
Figure 14: illustration of temperature variation in pool water during the day (Duffie, 2013) .................... 25
Figure 15: Temperature variation of the pool water over an extended time frame (Duffie, 2013) ............. 26
Figure 16: illustration of nocturnal cooling process (Duffie, 2013) ........................................................... 27
Figure 17: This diagram illustrates water temperature oscillation during extremely cool temperatures
(Duffie, 2013) ............................................................................................................................................. 28
Figure 18: Gantt chart for conducting different activities ........................................................................... 30
Figure 19: The main components of solar pool heater ................................................................................ 33
Figure 20: Solar heater with the pool .......................................................................................................... 34

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Table 1: an illustration of budget for different materials ............................................................................ 29
Table 2: Table showing how the events will be conducted ........................................................................ 30

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ABBREVIATIONS
VFD Variable Frequency Drive

gpm Gallons per Minute

gpm/sf Gallons per Minute per Square Feet

fps feet per second

CoP Coefficient of Performance

LCD Light Crystal Display

LED Light Emitting Diode

SF Solar Coverage

CPCV Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride

Rpm Revolutions per Minute

KWh/m2 Kilowatt-Hour per square meter

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ABSTRACT
This report gives a detailed description about the design of an autonomous solar pool heater. The project
proposes different design aspects needed to realize a fully functional water pool heater. This dissertation
looks into the design consideration of the pipe work, the solar collector, the most appropriate pump speed
and other vital concepts of design. It also give an in-depth discussion of the control system needed to
achieve high performance of thermal regulation of the pool water. Two sensors will be used. One will be
placed on the solar collector and another one will be attached to the suction pipe inside the pool water.
These two sensors are expected to communicate with the controller to effect the necessary action on the
pump. A centrifugal pump which will be running at a speed of 585rpm will be used to circulate the pool
water as desired. A bypass valve will be incorporated between the supply and delivery line so as to bypass
the collector when no water is needed to pass through it. To attain the above speed of the pipe, a VFD will
be used to operate the motor which in turn lowers the speed of the pump. As an illustration, the design
will be presented in conceptual and presentation drawings.

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CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Background study
Heating a water pool with an electric or a gas heater just to raise its temperature by a few Fahrenheit can
prove to be very costly. Solar pool heaters are the most energy and cost efficient method of heating a
water pool (Dickson, 2013.). However, this method has its own challenges which must be addressed to
improve its performance. Control systems are the most important factors that have to be considered in
evaluating the heater efficiency. An ineffective control device wastes energy and renders the system
almost useless. In case a solar heater pump is left to running throughout a chilly night, the pool
temperature will be lowered through convection process. Where people have to spend most of their time
busy with other activities, monitoring the on and off status of the pool as may be needed can become very
hard. This project is aimed at developing a smart device which will be in a position of making decisions
to control the water flow on the basis of thermal differences. The main devices that will be used in this
particular case include a thermistor, a solar heater, a 3-way solenoid valve and a water pump. All these
devices will be integrated into a controller. One thermistor will be fitted inside the pool while a second
one will be mounted on the solar fixture. The pump is expected to channel the water through a filtering
unit and passed through the solenoid. The valve has a NO port through which the water will be forced
back into the water pool. Typically, the temperature at the solar panel is higher than the pool temperature.
This scenario leads to the actuation of the valve. This means that the water will be sent through the solar
fixture which heats up the pool. There is a threshold temperature below which the solar fixture should not
fall below. In case a temperature fall occurs, the valve will let the water flow back into the pool.

Problem statement
Solar heating of a pool is by far the cheapest in terms of operation cost as well as energy conservation.
Actually, the cost of fuel is nil since it uses the naturally occurring solar energy (Ellabban, 2014).
However, the control devices of a solar pool heater play a key role in ensuring effective water heating in
the pool. Inadequate and inefficient control systems will lead to wastages and poor thermal control in the
pool. Pool units such as the water pumps should only be allowed to run at the desired time to make sure
that no heat transfer occurs through convection and conduction modes. These are some of the major
problems that are there in the current pool structures. These challenges have to be addressed to ensure an
efficient pool heating. Therefore, there is also a need to come up with a strong control mechanism of pool
water temperature to maximize its capacity.

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Justification
The continuous increment in population and industrial developments has led to a serious energy crisis in
most parts of the world. It is important to note that a greater percentage of electricity generated which is
currently being used globally is generated from fossil fuels (Asif, 2007). These fuels are non-renewable
and therefore, they will get depleted with time. Natural gas is also part of the fossils fuels. The two,
natural gas and electricity, are often used in in running various industrial and commercial systems (Asif,
2007). Therefore, there is a need conserve these resources.

As a resolution, renewable forms of energy such as solar have to be explored and invested upon to make
sure that the natural resources are not depleted as well as generating green sources of energy. In
particular, pool water heating is often done using electricity or gas fired structures. These forms of heating
can be replaced by solar which is typically a freely and naturally occurring resource. This will not only
ensure that the operating costs of the pool are cut down but energy conservation is also attained. Solar
being a green source of energy will ensure that environmental conservation is also achieved
(Alshuwaikhat, 2008.).

The use of solar as a means of heating a water pool is not sufficient enough to justify its investment if no
proper heat retention and control structures are put in place. It is therefore necessary to ensure that the
pool temperature is maintained by use of properly designed control devices so that the right temperatures
are attained and kept consistent at the required time frames. This project will focus keenly thermal control
of the pool to ensure the right temperatures are achieved as well as energy conservation. Therefore, doing
this project is very much justifiable.

Objectives

Main objective:
To design an autonomous solar pool heater.

Specific objectives
To come up with the working drawings of a solar heating system prototype.

To develop a smart device to make decisions on when the water flow based on temperature
differences.

To design a control board for the thermistor, solar heater, 3-way solenoid valve and the water pump.

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To improve the temperature regulation by using a set of thermistors.

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CHAPTER 2

Literature Review

Methods of Pool Heating

Water heating in a pool can be achieved by employing various methods such as gas, electric systems, pool
cover as well as the use of solar. Selecting the most appropriate heating system increases the chances of
getting the best energy conserving mechanism which goes along way with financial savings (Root, 2009).
Regardless of the type of heating used, it is recommendable to use a cover for heat retention to further
minimize the operating costs (Billings, 2006). This is because the main cause of heat loss in a pool takes
place through evaporation and a little percentage lost in form of conduction through the pool shell floor
and walls.

As highlighted above, the primary forms of pool heating are:

 Gas and oil fired boilers.

 Electrical heating.
 Solar heating.
 Heat pumps.

Gas and oil fired boilers

Use of boilers is common and an effective method in pool water heating. These boilers are either in a
design of direct or indirect types. The direct type of a boiler is where the pool water is allowed to pass
through the boiler directly whereas the indirect type is where an external heat exchanger is linked to a
conventional boiler (Bonn, 2005). The heating equipment of the boiler is specifically designed to ensure a
high level of compatibility between it and the pool water compositions. This is mainly done so as to avoid
possible reactions between the two parts in contact. All boilers have some type of flue which may be
necessary for heat transfers or in form of discharge. An enclosed plant boiler is necessary for installation
but a direct type may be mounted outside a room (Bonn, 2005).

Mains gas boiler has a lower operating and maintenance costs than the LPG and the oil boilers. Adequate
supply of this gas is necessary to justify an installation of this type of heating system. The size of the
present gas pipe installed between the pool boiler and gas meter and the capacity of the present meter and
the amount of the gas currently connected are the major factors which are considered in determining the
sufficiency of the available gas supply (Bonn, 2005). Indirect gas boilers are more advantageous since
they can be used in heating other units such as hot water cylinders and changing room radiators.

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These types of boilers are also efficient when the pool heating duration is quite short. They work best
when the pools are being heated rapidly. The gas pool heaters are also the best option when no regular
heating of the pool is necessary (Bonn, 2005). These types of heating systems can maintain the required
temperature since they are not climate or weather dependent. A typical mains gas boiler is illustrated
below.

Figure 1: Diagram for a typical main gas boiler (Bonn, 2005).

Heat Pumps
This type of pool heating has the simplest form of installation low or no carbon generation as well as low
costs of operations. These attributes make it popular to many manufacturers and users. Heat pumps are in
two versions: the ground source and the air source. Heat pumps may provide either direct or indirect
heating of the pool. Indirect heating, just as was the case of boiler heating, requires a form of heat
exchanger (Chow, 2012). This type of heating is more superior to the former since it can also be used for
heating auxiliary systems of the pool such as the radiators of the changing room. However, indirect
system requires a higher temperature to operate which makes it less efficient than the direct type. The
external air or the ground forms the main sources of heat that the heat pumps extract it from (Sarbu,
2014). Its coefficient of performance (CoP) is in the range of 3.5 to 4.5 during an outdoor heating of a

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pool in a warm weather. CoP of a heat pump is the ratio of the heat provided to the water to the electrical
power consumption.

Heat pumps that are designed to operate during winter seasons can provide significant amounts of heat
when the air temperature is as low as -15°C with an average CoP of around 2.5 to 3.5. However, at this
temperature, the pump’s efficiency is lower than when it is operating at a warm weather. An openly
ventilated space, both indoor and outdoor, is a prerequisite for proper functioning of an air source version
heat pump (Demir, 2008). The heat pumps contain rotating parts and, therefore, it is a critical factor to
take into account noise considerations and the proximity to bedrooms and other silence demanding
avenues. Heat pumps are properly sized during designs to coincide with the average loss of heat from the
swimming pool. This means that the required time for warm up is expected to be slower compared to
other heating methods. The primary advantage of this this type of pool heating over the rest of the
techniques is the fact that no complications of gas supplies, the discharge ports of flues, no oil tank is
required and it has little electrical requirements (Chua, 2010). A typical diagram for a functional heat
pump is illustrated below:

Figure 2: an illustration of a functional heat pump (Sarbu, 2014).

Direct resistance electrical heating

The most compact heating devices that can be installed in a swimming pool are the electrical resistance
heaters. The initial installation costs of these units are the lowest whereas the operating costs turn out to
be the highest of all the heating techniques. These systems have a quite operation accompanied by low

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maintenance requirements (Song, 2017). Just like the case of electric heat pumps, this heating technique
must be properly sized to offer an initial warm up time (Song, 2017).The heater must be designed
specifically to perform this role. The high cost of electricity limits its operations to block periods with
tariffs that ensure s low cost of electricity. The diagram below illustrates a simplified example of a direct
resistance electrical heating in a pool (Song, 2017).

Figure 3: illustration of a direct resistance electrical pool heater (Song, 2017).

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Figure 4: 3 D view of electrical pool heater (Song, 2017).

Solar panel
The concept of solar energy is not only used for electrical power generation but its thermal energy can be
also used iirectly for heating purposes (Ruiz, 2010.). Solar pool heating can also be achieved by utilising
solar energy from the sun. Solar panels are mounted srategically around the pool and the water is
circulated between the panels and the pool. The panels are often fitted with thermal controllers that
separately measures the air and the pool temperature. Solar pool collectors require different types of
materials. Unglazed collector is ideal where the pool is only being used the temperatures are higher than
freezing point. Its design and the inexpensive components of the unglazed collectors make the panels
cheaper than the glazed collectors. The unglazed systems can be used for indoor pools during winter or in
cold regions. The glazed units are manufactured from aluminum and copper tubes which make the
expensive.

The use of solar panels may not be the best method since it is a seasonal technique. The temperature rise
may increase may be too slow and on average, a total of barely less than 8°C can be achieved in a period
of one week. The solar panel does not maximize the ambient temperatures and this will result in water
pool losing heat over time. The lack of proper thermal controls systems may make the solar systems the
most inefficient method of pool heating. It is therefore necessary to come up with proper control systems

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to take full advantage of this free resource. A standard solar panel is made up of the following
components (Jacobson, 2011):

 Solar Collectors; this is the device which provides a platform where the water will be exposed to
the sun for heating purposes.
 Filter; this is a screening unit where the solid particles are removed before the water can be
allowed into the solar collector.
 Pump; this is the device which is responsible for the continous circulation of vwater between the
pool and the collector for heat transfers.
 Flow control valves; these are automatically or manually actuated that diverts the water into the
solar collector for warming purposes.

The diagram below a pool and the components of solar heating.

Figure 5: Components of a conventional solar pool heater (Johnson, 2000).

Solar pool heating controllers

Solar water heating is the most effective application of solar energy. The effectiveness of a solar water
heating system is manifested when there is control of the flow of water from the pool to the solar heater
(Shukla, 2013). To achieve this, the heating system should be fitted with automatic water heating control

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system. The automatic controller acts to control the flow of the water heat in order to conserve the amount
of heat loss to the surrounding making the heating process economical and efficient (Dongellini, 2015).
The controller acts in such a way that it determines when to allow the water from the filter to the solar and
when prevent the flow. If there is continuous flow of water from the pool to the solar even when the
temperatures are low the pool will get cooled instead. Controller prevents the pool from unwanted heat
loss (Dongellini, 2015).

The Solar Heater Controller we are designing to automatically regulate the temperature of a swimming
pool by controlling the flow of water through your solar panels. On a hot day, the temperature of the
water in the solar panel is warmer than the water in the swimming pool. The Controller unit will close the
valve, which will cause the water to circulate through the solar panels (Dongellini, 2015). This will
increase the pool water temperature up to the temperature that you set on the Controller. On a cold or over
cast day, the temperature of the water in the solar panel will be colder than the water in the swimming
pool. The Controller unit will open the valve and the water will bypass the solar panel back in to the
swimming pool, thus eliminating any loss of heat (Dongellini, 2015).

Figure 6: Schematic diagram of a typical controlled solar heater (Dongellini, 2015)

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Manual versus automatic control
The control valve of the pool heating system can either be manual or automatic control. Manual control
involves physical turning on and off the control valve. It depends on individual analysis of if the pool
requires heating. The individuals evaluates if the sun is up and whether the pool need heating and if the
answer is yes then he turns on the control valve to allow water to pass through the collector panels
(Dannemand, 2017). When it is cloudy or it is at night the control valve is again turn off to prevent the
pool water from going to the collectors. If the valve is not turned off there will be circulation of cooled
water. This process is how ever unreliable since human beings are always prone to error through
forgetting or ignorance. Therefor the procedure is not so much effective (Dannemand, 2017).

Manual control using three valves

The following two diagrams illustrate how a manual system can be done using three identical manual
valves. Two valves control the flow to and from the solar collectors and one allow for bypassing the
collectors if there is no heat available or it is available but not wanted. If there is solar energy to heat the
pool; water the bypassing valve is closed and the other valves opened to allow the water from the pool to
reach the collector. On the other hand, if the temperature of the roof panels is not enough to heat the water
or is lower than the pool water, the bypass valve is opened and the other valves closed. The water cannot
reach the collectors hence preventing heat loss (Dannemand, 2017).

Figure 7: Manually controlled solar heater with bypass valve closed (Dannemand, 2017)

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Figure 8: Manually controlled solar heater with bypass valve opened (Dannemand, 2017)

Limitations
 It is unreliable due to human error (forgetting and inaccuracy)
 It is in accurate since it is difficult to achieve a specific set temperature. Using this method the
pool is prone over heating or getting cooled instead.
 Lacks freeze protection capabilities (Dannemand, 2017)

Bypass valve for controlling pressure/flow rate and temperature

The control valve illustrated above (bypass valve) can be used to perform two essential functions which
include controlling the flow rate and temperature (Gilbert, 2016). The flow of water need to be checked to
ensure that it water gets enough and not too much time in the collector. The flow should be kept at a
critical speed for maximum results. Pressure/ flow rate control is achieved by partially opening the bypass
valve causing some water to go through to the collectors and some to go through the bypass. The water
flow rate will be reduced allowing it to collect more heat more efficiently.

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Figure 9: Illustration of a bypass valve for regulating the pressure and temperature (Gilbert, 2016)

Limitation
 The process is manual therefore it is inaccurate since it is difficult to determine the current
pressure or flow rate.
 It is difficult to know regulate the pressure since there is no way an individual can know the
current or the required pressure.

Automatic control valve

This control valve mechanism comprises of a control box and two temperature sensors. The temperature
sensors in this case are the thermistors. The control box contains a differential temperature controller
which makes decisions based on input from the two temperature sensors as illustrated below. One of the
sensors is located at the roof a convenient location to access the sun whenever the collector is getting it.
The roof sensor should be able to acquire the collect data such as it should be able to record when the
collector is shaded or not (Wang, 2015). The other sensor is located at the pool; to monitor the
temperature of the pool water. It is located at the pipe that carries the water from the pool. The automatic
control has a motor to facilitate the opening and closing of the valve. The switch normally has three
positions turn on the automatic control system, turn it off, and do a test. It also has an input system to
allow the user set the required pool temperature (Wang, 2015).

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The control compares the three temperature variables i.e. dialed in temperature, collector temperature and
the pool water temperature. If the temperature of the pool is cooler than what you selected via the dial
then the control box will use the temperature sensor near the collectors to determine if allowing water to
flow through the collectors will heat the water up. If the sky is cloudy then the temperature sensor will be
cool and the control box would do nothing. However, if the sun is out then the temperature sensor will be
hot and the control box will turn the control valve to let water flow through the collectors.

Figure 10: Illustration of a pool using an automatic control valve (Gilbert, 2016)

Automatic control systems or "solar control kits" consist of four components: the temperature sensors, the
control box, a 3-way valve, and a motorized actuator. The motorized actuator turns the valve when the
control box tells it to. The motorized actuator is attached to the top of the three way valve. The
temperature valve is fitted firmly in the pipe from the pool filter before the control valve. The roof sensor
is also strategically placed and joined to wire that will ensure the collected data is fed to the control box
for analysis.

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Working principle of a solar pool heating controller of a system with a heat exchanger
The main purpose of the solar controller is controlling the circulation in a solar hot water system to
generate heat from the solar panels. The other purpose of the controller is to prevent the system from
overheating. The solar controller evaluates the heat available in the panels and the heat required in the
pool. It turns the circulating pimp on when there is heat available in the panels to allow the water to be
heated (Wang, 2015). The circulating pump moves the working fluid through the panels to the heat
exchanger from where it is used to heat the pool water. The controller protects the system from
overheating by turning off the pump when the exchanger reaches the maximum temperature and cooling
it by turning the pump on when the exchanger is hotter than the panels (Wang, 2015).

Basic residential solar controller circuit uses a comparator with two temperature inputs, one at the solar
panel and one at the thermal store's heat exchanger, and an output to control the pump. Commercial solar
controllers are a little more detailed and use microprocessors with LCD displays. The solar controller
switches the pump on when the solar panel is hotter than the water in the heat exchanger which transfers
the heat in the panel to your pool; and off when the panel is cooler which prevents a reversal of the
process and loss of heat (Wang, 2015). The controller measures and compares the temperatures in the
panel and the heat exchanger every few seconds so you will always enjoy warm, comfortable water. Solar
Controllers are programmable and can control several devices at a time. Solar Controllers use power from
a mains electric supply in order to operate and offer features like automatic heating, automatic cooling,
single setting for desired temperature, terminal strip connections, LED indicators, and freeze protection
(Wang, 2015).

Limitation
 It is expensive to install and maintain
 Complicated to use

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CHAPTER 3

Methodology
Various methods of pool heating and pool heating control are discussed in the literature review section.
This project entails the design of a pool heating system using solar power. Preliminary measurements and
analysis is required. The basic data required for the design of an autonomous pool heater and controller
includes; the amount of solar radiation (insolation) location of solar collectors (inclination) and the
analysis of hot water requirement.

To accomplish the objectives of this project, there are different sets of components and materials that will
be needed. For instance, a solar collector will be positioned at a raised ground precisely a roof top. This
collector will be connected to the pool through an inlet and outlet pipe. A pump will be attached to the
supply line to facilitate the feeding of water into the solar collectors. A strainer will be placed prior to the
pump to filter out any solid components that can lead to blockage around the pipe network. A thermistor
will be attached to the suction end of the pipe in the pool to measure the temperature of the water that is
getting into the collector. Another sensor will be fitted in the collectors to measure the temperature at this
point. The pipe will be made of copper tube since it has good heat transfer properties as well as ease of
manipulation. A cover of fiber glass will be mounted on the pipe to minimize heat loses from the system.
The desired temperature ranges will be set from the controller. A solenoid valve will be fitted between the
suction and the discharge lines to control the water flow direction depending on the requirements. The
figure below shows a simplified diagram for this system.

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Figure 11: Schematic diagram for the autonomous solar pool heater

Temperature control Principle

As stated earlier, the system will use two thermal sensors. The two sensors are connected to a controller
where the two temperatures will be compared to determine the most convenient operation. The sensor that
is attached to the solar collector will measure the temperature of the water in the panel and feeds the result
into a controller. In case the temperature recorded is below the set temperature, the controller will close
the valve that takes the water into the panel. In turn, the water flow will circulate from the pool via the
control valve and back into the pool. At this stage, the controller will also switch off the pump. The
change in water direction has to be done first since the pump cannot be brought to rest instantly. This will
minimizes the heat losses in the water.

On the other hand, when the temperature of the solar collector rise above the water pool temperature, the
sensor sends a signal to the controller. At this stage, the pump is turned on and the control valve between
the two lines is closed. The valve that supplies water into the collector is opened which allows the water
circulation between the solar collector and the swimming pool.

To minimize the heat losses by radiation from the chlorinated polyvinyl chloride pipe, insulation material
will be used to lag the pipe. The most preferred in this case is the fiber glass. It is easy to form and mount
onto the pipe. It is also light which is good for maintaining reducing the weight of the system.

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Freeze Protection
The water in the pool will freeze if the ambient temperature falls below 40 ºF. To avoid freezing, water
has to be recirculated. The sensor has to give a signal to controller to reactivate the pump to run. The
possibility of water freezing stops when its temperature attains a value of 42 ºF (Von Cube, 2013). At this
point, the sensor has to send another signal to the controller to stop the pump from operation.

Nocturnal cooling
In case the pool temperature go beyond the set limit, the pool water can be allowed to circulate during the
night. At this time, the temperature of the collector is lower than that of water. Therefore it will conduct
away some of the heat from water hence lowering its temperature. When the set limit is attained, the
sensor will invoke the controller to stop the pump.

The main sub systems of the project have been designed below:

Design for solar panel collectors.

To determine solar energy basic parameters are required which include solar radiation flux density W/m2,
insolation kWh/m2 (the energy of solar radiation reaching the unit area at a certain time) and the number
of sunshine hours of direct solar visible operation. The generally accepted value of the above mentioned
parameters of the global solar constant are as follows; solar radiation flux density is 1367 W/m2,
insolation between 833 and 1199 kWh/m2.

After evaluating the solar conditions preliminary calculations are for the proposed system are the carried
out. First start b determining the degree of solar coverage (SF). It specifies the percentage which will be
covered by the designed installation. It also correspond the ratio of annual energy solar profit (Q SQL) for
pool heating demand (QBW), the total heat losses in the pool (QVS) and circulation circuit (QYZ). SF varies
from 40%, 60% and 80% in comparison of both energy losses and energy profit. For economic benefits,
the best SF is at 40% and 60%. Amount of the required energy heating is estimated and it helps in
selection of solar collectors and the optimal area for the entire system. Annual energy solar profit is
calculated using the formula below

QSQL = SF. (QBW + QVS + QVZ). 365/1000 kWh/year

Utilizing this formula an individual is able to determine the energy required for the annual profit and
allows in selection of adequate type of solar collector, adequate area for coverage and the required solar
circuits.

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Design for the pipes
For efficient operations of the heater, the right size of the pipe has to be determined. According to the rule
of thumb, an installation with collectors up to four require a pipe size of 3/4”. Our solar collector will
have one panel and therefore the three quarter inch pipe will be used.

Solar heaters experience heat loss through conduction and convection which can be through the pipes.
Therefore the pipes to be considered for the pool heater system must be able to take care of heat loss
through both convection and conduction. The water pipes should be well selected to suit the functions.
They should be able to with stand high temperatures without being deformed; they should also be able to
with stand the pressure of the flowing water. The solar collector utilizes copper pipes since they have
great thermal conductivity. Therefore, they will transmit heat from the collector to the water faster.

Other pipes transporting the water from the pool to the solar collector and back should be made of a
material of high thermal insulation to prevent the water from losing heat while being transported. They
should be compatible with water supplies to minimize the potential of electrolytic corrosion. They should
be suitable for local climate such as freezing or atmospheric salt and sulfur. The pipes should be suitable
for underground conditions. These pipes can be made of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) due to
their capability of withstanding high temperatures. They are also very flexible and light in weight
allowing ease of installation. They also have an additional characteristic that they do not support
combustion. A composite pipe made of aluminum layer sandwiched by two layers of high density
material on both outer and inner side, can be used. The only disclaimer is that they are expensive.

Flow rate and velocity for a solar pool heater system

Flow rate and pipe size is an important consideration in the design of an autonomous pool heating system.
Critical flow rate is essential. If the flow rate is loo low it will not be efficient in heat removal from the
collector and if the flow rate is very high it will require a strong pump and plumbing materials increasing
the installation cost. The flow rate is measured in gallons per minute per square feet (gpm/sf). The
recommended flow rate should have velocities between 2fps and 5fps. At this velocity range, the heat
exchange and absorption in the solar collector is more efficient. The flow velocity above 2fps is required
to entrain (eliminate) the air through the piping. Very high flow velocity of over 5fps is not recommended
due to the fact that it makes the system noisy and may as well contribute in corroding the inside of the
pipes. Therefore high flow rate will contribute to reduced life of the system as well as frequent need of
maintenance due to leaking.

The other factor to consider is pipe size. Pipe size affects the selection of flow rate and the pump energy
required. Pipe size affects the cost of the pipe, installation and lagging. Pipes with smaller diameters

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contributes to the pressure drop of any given flow rate. High pressure drop contributes to need for a pump
with higher power to overcome the pipe resistance. The recommended flow pipe size for domestic heating
is between 1/2 inch and 1 inch. In our system we will utilize the 3/4inch pipe and a flow velocity of 5fps.
Using pipes of lower inner diameter are more cost effective than larger pipes. The collector must have
adequate flow to extract maximum heat from the sun on a hot day. Heliodyne recommends a flow rate
range of 0.025-0.075 gallons per minute per square feet.

Pump Selection:
The right pump to use is determined by the power requirements in our system. The following parameters
will be used in determining the right type of pump:

Total head H= 2.842m

Total length of the pipe from the pump to the peak height L=5.2m

Diameter of the pipe in meters= 0.019m

Maximum water velocity V=1.524m/s

Friction factor f for the pipe=0.0004

Water density ρ=1000kg/m3

Gravitational acceleration g=9.81m/s2

Therefore, the head loss

4fLV2
= 2gd

4×0.0004×5.2×1.524×1.524
= 2×9.81×0.019

=0.052m

The effective head H

=2.842-0.052

=2.79m

From this, we can compute the pressure in the pipe:

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Pressure=ρgh

=1000× 9.81 × 2.79

=27371.5N/m2

Therefore, hydraulic power P is given as

P=pressure×area of the pipe

π×0.019×0.019
Area = 4

=2.835×10-4

=27371.5×2.835×10-4

=7.76watts

The power from the pump taking an efficiency of 95%

7.76
=
0.95

=8.168 watts

From the first affinity law, the power required by the pump is directly proportional to the cubic value of
the shaft speed.

I.e. P= (N) 3

Therefore, the required speed of the pump to give the desired water velocity is:

(8.168) 3 =545rpm

The nominal speeds of typical pump is about 1400rpm. The speed needed for the design is way much
below the normal speed. Therefore, an additional accessory will be needed to control the pump speed. To
effect this change, a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) will be needed to attain the designed speed.

The diagrams below shows the various views of the solar pool heater drawings:

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Figure 12: 3 D and orthographic views of the solar collector and the components

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Figure 13: The Detailed Views of the smaller components of the solar heating system

CHAPTER 4

EXPECTED RESULTS
From the methodology discussed above, implementation of the project is expected to yield the aimed
results. The design of various components have been done and the drawings of a working solar pool
heater have been produced. These drawings give a stepwise guidelines on how the project shall be
implemented.

A successful implementation of this project is expected to give the following results:

 The thermal regulation of the water in the pool will have an improved efficiency. The controls
designed are such that it also minimizes the power consumption by switching off the pump when
no circulation is needed.

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 Two thermistors will be fitted in the two parts of the system as was discussed in the methodology.
This will ensure that the circulation of water between the pool and the solar collectors only
happens when it is desirable.
 A controller will be designed to effect the necessary operation based on the information relayed
from the sensors.
 The autonomous solar pool heater will be able to make the right decisions on whether the water
has to be cooled or heated.
 Freeze protection and nocturnal cooling will also be done as the sensors will have a high
versatility in their functionality.

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CHAPTER 5

Discussion
The solar pool heater will perform the desired role of water heating. On a sunny day, the pump will be set
to operation mode and it will circulate the pool water pass the filters and through the solar collector. The
collector has many passages that will warm the water as they pass through them. Typically, the water
temperature will rise between 2-5 degrees on a good weather. This means that on average, the pool water
temperature can attain up to a maximum of 15 degrees when the weather conditions are favorable (Duffie,
2013). The diagram below shows the daily rise in temperature of the water.

Figure 14: illustration of temperature variation in pool water during the day (Duffie, 2013)

The diagram shown demonstrates how temperature of the pool water changes with time of the day.
During early hours, the weather is still chilly and pump is not operational. However, as time progresses,
the ambient temperature will rise so does the solar collector. When the sensor detects a rise in
temperature, it will actuate the controller to start the pump. The water will circulate through the warm
collector and hence heat transfer takes place. The process leads to a temperature rise in the pool water by
a maximum value of 5 degrees. As the sun sets the ambient temperature will start falling. This will result
in a drop in the pool water temperature. At this point, the sensor will send a signal to the controller to stop
the pump from operating. The water temperature will fall slightly and remain constant till the following
day.

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In case the weather will continue been sunny for the entire week, the temperature of the water will
continue rising. The previous temperature attained the day before after the temperature fall will be the
starting point for the new day. The process will continue until the temperature set at the controller is
attained. The diagram below demonstrates how the pool temperature changes over an extended time
period with sunny days.

Figure 15: Temperature variation of the pool water over an extended time frame (Duffie, 2013)

The water temperature will continue rising for as long as the system is operational. The maximum
attainable temperature in this system is between 80 to 100 degrees Celsius. When the set temperature of
the water has been attained, the pump will be stopped from operation. This will also save on the cost of
power.

In the event that the water temperature has to be lowered, nocturnal cooling principle will be employed.
The water will be allowed to circulate overnight. This will lower the water temperature since the ambient
temperature is lower than that of water. The same energy used to heat up the water to raise its temperature
by a certain degrees is the same one needed to cool by the same units of degrees. Therefore, cooling
process will take the same amount of time to cool as it was for heating. The water pool cooling curve is
illustrated below:

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Figure 16: illustration of nocturnal cooling process (Duffie, 2013)

The water temperature will fall overnight as shown the figure above till the following day. The lowest
temperature attainable in this diagram is 18.3˚C. Beyond this temperature, the water temperature continue
to rise again. This is because a new sunny day has begun and the collector changes its role of cooling to
heating. At this point, the sensor will signal the controller to switch of the pump. The water temperature
will remain constant since there is no heating taking place. However, it is possible to register some heat
gain as a result of energy gain through solar radiations. This rise is however negligible.

If the ambient temperature falls to around 40˚F, there is high chances that the pool water will freeze if the
temperature will remain at that value for so long (Duffie, 2013). To avoid this occurrence, the pool water
temperature have to be recirculated continuously at a faster speed. This will disorient the possibility of ice
formation and the water will remain in its liquid state. The sensors will be programmed such that they
give a signal to the controller to run the pump. The water temperature will oscillate at a slightly higher
temperature than the environment. This is possible because the kinetic energy of the water is increased by
circulation. The diagram below illustrates the water behavior at such a situation.

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Figure 17: This diagram illustrates water temperature oscillation during extremely cool temperatures
(Duffie, 2013)

From figure 12 shown above, the water temperature range 42.96˚F to 45˚F. This water will remain in
liquid state as a result of recirculation in spite of the freezing ambient temperatures. The water will start
freezing if the temperature falls below 40˚F. When the ambient temperature rise to about 50˚F, the sensors
will signal the controller to stop the pump. This process is necessary because environmental temperatures
are not sufficient enough to produce a desirable rise in temperature.

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CHAPTER 6

THE BILL OF MATERIALS

Successful implementation of this project will require procurement of different materials. The table below
shows a complete budget needed to successfully implement the project.

Quantity Material Cost Estimates in Installation Cost Per Unit

$ in $
1 Solar Heater 170 70
Tubing 12 2
60ft
2 Thermistor 25 3
6 Capacitors 12 4
12 Resistors 3 1
2 Transistor 1 0.5
1 PCB Board 4
4 Diode 4 1.5
1 Stand 40 20
1 Transformer 7 4
110/24
1 Variable 150 15
Frequency Drive
(VFD)
1 3-way Solenoid 130 50
valve
Table 1: an illustration of budget for different materials

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CHAPTER 7

Schedule and Milestones

Activity Starting Ending Duration
Week Week
Research 0 2 2
Content review and Documentation 0 12 12
Proposal Writing 1 4 3
Idea improvement and Further Study 4 7 3
Design and drawings 5 7 2
Presentation of the Design 7 8 1
Material Acquisition 8 10 2
Implementation Stage 9 11 2
Design Testing 10 11 1
Final Presentation 11 12 1

Table 2: Table showing how the events will be conducted

Figure 18: Gantt chart for conducting different activities

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APPENDICES

Figure 19: The main components of solar pool heater

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Figure 20: Solar heater with the pool

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