Performance of a Solar Water Flat Plate Collector Made from Locally Available Materials

Abstract

A solar water heater is one of the ways through which sunlight energy can be harnessed for domestic use. The performance of a typical solar water heater made from locally available materials was determined and in the process a solar water heater is designed, construct and tested on the university of Maiduguri campus. The sunlight energy is absorbed by the collector made up of an aluminum absorber plate enclosed within a transparent cover to prevent the emitted radiation from escaping (greenhouse effects). The absorber is made with fluid carrying tubes to absorb heat and increases the temperature of the water in the tank through theromsyphon principle. Maximum fluid output temperature and the collector temperature of 59  and 70  respectively were obtained on a sunny day. This solar water heater find useful application as a source of hot water for cooking, washing and laundry, and acts as a renewable energy resources in regions where there is abundant sunlight.