Thermal performance of a domestic solar water heater

Abstract EN

An integrated solar water heater was designed and built using local materials and labor.

The system consists of 1 m x 1 m x 0.03 m rectangular tank.

The total cost of the system is 125000 ID.

The working principle of the unit is fairly simple.

An absorbent surface absorbs solar radiation to heat water.

The performance of the system was tested for four days in April during different atmospheric conditions.

In three days, the water temperature reached 60 °C and higher in partly cloudy, sunny / showers, and sunny / clear sky conditions.

However, on a dusty / cloudy day solar radiation was severely reduced keeping the highest water temperature slightly below 30 °C.

The chronic shortage of power supply in Mosul, the abundant sunshine hours in winter and the reasonable cost of the system all serve as good reasons to acquire and install a solar water heater to meet household needs for hot water.