Design and Test of Solar Thermal Collector with Coil Geometries

College of Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Spring 2018
Senior Design Project Report
Solar Thermal Collector with Coil
Geometries
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Group Number #4
Team Members
Student Name Student ID
1 201302587 Ibrahim Balhareth
2 201303522 Meshal AlSaiar
3 201301889 Omer Al Otaibi
4 201300164 Marwan Al Refaei
5 201200399 Mahmoud Khojandi
Project Advisors:
Advisor Name: Dr. Esam Jasim
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Abstract
A recent interest in renewable energy in Saudi Arabia has created a need to find
alternative suitable solutions for energy. Solar energy is one of the most interesting solutions
to produce renewable energy. Therefore, many research centers and universities have shown
interest in conducting experimental studies to improve and develop the efficiency of heat
transfer upon the existing system of solar thermal collector. The aim of this project is to
design and test a solar thermal collector. The collector will be used to test a number of
configurations for coils to maximize the heat transfer. The project results will provide
guidelines to utilize the most efficient coil geometry in solar thermal collectors.
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Acknowledgments
To our Advisor, Dr. Esam Jasim and our Co-Advisor Dr. Nader Swalhi for the great
contribution in every step of our Senior Design Project which made this project interesting
and helpful for our future career and studies. Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department,
Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University as a whole, we thank you for your kind support and
assistance to us all through the college life.
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List of Figures
Figure1.1 Solar Thermal System................................................................................................9
Figure 2.1 Schematic diagram of the system...........................................................................13
Figure 2.3 Results.....................................................................................................................15
Figure 2.4 Experimental setup.................................................................................................16
Figure 2.7 Solar Thermal Collector 5......................................................................................19
Figure 3.1System Components 6.............................................................................................23
Figure 3.1 CAD System Design Model 7................................................................................27
Figure 3.3 The System After Assembly 8................................................................................29
Figure 4.1 Experimental Setup 9..............................................................................................30
Figure 4.2 Sensors places 10....................................................................................................31
Figure 4.3 Flow Meter Device 11............................................................................................32
Figure 4.4 Pressure Gauge 12..................................................................................................33
Figure 4.5 Thermometer13.......................................................................................................34
Figure 4.6 Light 14...................................................................................................................35
Figure 4.7 Control Valve 15.....................................................................................................36
Figure 4.8 coils wheel the expermantal 16...............................................................................38
Figure 4.9 The Test Results 17................................................................................................40
Figure 5.1 The Heat Source 17................................................................................................46
Figure 5.2 Thermal Collector Box 18......................................................................................47
Figure 5.4 Copper Coils After Pain Job19...............................................................................48
Figure 5.5 Control Valve 20....................................................................................................49
Figure C.2 Copper Coils 22.....................................................................................................64
Figure C.3 Pressure Gauge 23..................................................................................................65
Figure C.4 Thermometer 24.....................................................................................................66
Figure C.5 Flow Meter 25........................................................................................................67
Figure C.6 Aluminum Sheet 26...............................................................................................68
Figure C.8 Thermal Box 27.....................................................................................................69
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List of Tables
Table1.1 Specifications of the box...........................................................................................10
Table 1.2 Specification of the coil pipes..................................................................................11
Table 1.3 Specification of the heater........................................................................................11
Table 3.1 System Components Shapes 4.................................................................................23
Table 3.2 Engineering Standards 5..........................................................................................25
Table 3.2 Example of calculating the total heat transfer6........................................................26
Table 4.1 The water volume reading7......................................................................................39
Table 4.2 The Test Results 7....................................................................................................40
Table 5.1 Gantt Chart 8............................................................................................................42
Table 5.2 Team Members Task 9.............................................................................................44
Table 5.3 Project Monitoring 10..............................................................................................45
Table 5.3 Expenses of Material and Labor Work11................................................................50
Table B.1 Engineering Standards 12........................................................................................62
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Table of Content
Abstract...................................................................................................................................2
Acknowledgments......................................................................................................................3
List of Figures............................................................................................................................4
List of Tables..............................................................................................................................5
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................8
1.1 Project Definition..........................................................................................................8
1.2 Project Objectives.............................................................................................................8
1.3 Project Specifications.......................................................................................................9
1.4 Applications................................................................................................................12
Chapter 2: Literature Review...................................................................................................13
2.1 Project background.....................................................................................................22
2.2 Previous Work............................................................................................................22
2.3 Comparative Study.....................................................................................................23
Chapter 3: System Design........................................................................................................24
3.1 Design Constraints and Design Methodology....................................................................24
3.1.1 Geometrical Constrains........................................................................................24
3.1.2 Environmental......................................................................................................25
3.1.3 Economic..................................................................................................................25
3.2 Engineering Design standards........................................................................................25
3.3 Theory and Theoretical Calculations..........................................................................27
3.4 Product Subsystems and selection of Components.........................................................28
3.4.1 CAD Design of Product systems and Component...................................................28
3.5 Manufacturing and assembly (Implementation).........................................................30
Chapter 4: System Testing and Analysis.................................................................................31
4.1 Experimental Setup, Sensors and data acquisition system.........................................32
4.1.1 Inlet section..............................................................................................................32
4.1.2 The Radiation Collector Section..............................................................................36
4.1.3 Outlet section............................................................................................................36
4.2 Results, Analysis and Discussion...............................................................................38
4.2.1 Goals:........................................................................................................................38
4.2.2 Experimental methodology......................................................................................38
4.2.3 Errors and Challenges...............................................................................................38
4.2.4 Experimental procedure............................................................................................39
4.2.5 Results and Discussions...........................................................................................40
Chapter 5: Project Management...............................................................................................43
5.1 Project Plan.................................................................................................................43
5.2 Contribution of Team Members.................................................................................45
5.3 Project Execution Monitoring.....................................................................................46
5.4 Challenges and Decision Making...............................................................................46
5.4.1 Project Set Up Failures.............................................................................................47
5.5 Project Bill of Materials and Budget..........................................................................51
Chapter 6: Project Analysis.....................................................................................................52
6.1 Life-long Learning:.........................................................................................................52
6.1.1 Improve our Skills in Sensors Tools........................................................................52
6.1.2 New Tools Helped With The Research....................................................................52
6.1.3 Project management skills........................................................................................53
6.2 Impact of Engineering Solutions....................................................................................53
6.2.1 Economy......................................................................................................................53
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6.2.2 Society.........................................................................................................................54
6.2.3 Enviorment...................................................................................................................54
6.3 Contemporary Issues Addressed.....................................................................................54
Chapter 7: Conclusions and Future Recommendations...........................................................55
8. References......................................................................................................................57
Appendix A: Progress Reports.................................................................................................58
Appendix B: Engineering standards.........................................................................................64
Appendix C: CAD drawings and Bill of Materials..................................................................65
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Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Project Definition
This project is intended to design and manufacture the solar thermal collector that
used to demonstrate how solar energy or radiation energy could be converted into heat
energy. We will upgrade this system by puting different geometric of coil shapes painted by
black color inside the thermal collector one by one. The set-up for this system includes a
wooden box of the solar thermal collector, concave of aluminum sheets fixed inside the
wooden wall, different geometries of copper coils pipes, plastic hoses connected between
copper coil pipe and plastic pipes. In addition, we put measurements tools (flowumetric and
thermometer) for calculations. This system can illustrate how the water heater in a house
works or if used without water to illustrate how a radiator heats up a room.
1.2 Project Objectives
We have more than one objective in this project. First, designing a test rig coil in different
geometries and then designing a number of coil geometries. Furthermore, designing
experiments to study the best coil geometry efficiency in heat transfer.
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