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Enhancement of domestic solar water heater performance by numerical and experimental analysis of curved tubes.

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Title: Enhancement of domestic solar water heater performance by numerical and experimental analysis of curved tubes.
Authors: Sivaraman, G.1 (AUTHOR) indsivaraman@gmail.com, Mohan, R.1 (AUTHOR) rmohan121@gmail.com, Lenin, V. R.2 (AUTHOR) leninrangasamya@gmail.com, Vijayan, V.3 (AUTHOR) vijayan.me@gmail.com
Source: Journal of Thermal Analysis & Calorimetry. Jan2026, Vol. 151 Issue 1, p733-748. 16p.
Subjects: Solar water heaters, Heat transfer, Thermal properties, Experimental design, Computer simulation, Exergy, Pipe bending, Energy consumption
Abstract: The research is on the thermal performance and the maximization of energy efficiency of solar water heaters for home applications. Through numerical simulation coupled with the DOE method with Orthogonal Array, regression model, and ANOVA, these factors were calculated for their effects, viz. pipe diameter, thickness, inter-pipe distance, bond ratio, and absorber plate thickness. The highest effect on outlet temperature was the diameter of the pipe, with 71.84%; then, the effect on configuration type amounted to 23.09%, while the bond ratio accounted for 3.30%. The optimal design of the system results in the outlet water temperature of about 91.15 °C, which is experimentally verified with an error of 2.25% only. Based on the seasonal performance, the values of outlet temperature vary from 67.1 °C (during winter) and 92.4 °C (during summer), while the energy efficiency varies with solar radiation, attaining a maximum of 62% during periods of high solar radiation. An exergy analysis also showed a pattern of improvement under different climatic conditions. The results indicate that curved-tube designs enhance heat transfer and efficiency to a much larger extent during process maximization. The proposed approaches thus give strong incentives for the transformation of a sustainable ultra-efficient solar water heater adaptable to seasonal and regional requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:The research is on the thermal performance and the maximization of energy efficiency of solar water heaters for home applications. Through numerical simulation coupled with the DOE method with Orthogonal Array, regression model, and ANOVA, these factors were calculated for their effects, viz. pipe diameter, thickness, inter-pipe distance, bond ratio, and absorber plate thickness. The highest effect on outlet temperature was the diameter of the pipe, with 71.84%; then, the effect on configuration type amounted to 23.09%, while the bond ratio accounted for 3.30%. The optimal design of the system results in the outlet water temperature of about 91.15 °C, which is experimentally verified with an error of 2.25% only. Based on the seasonal performance, the values of outlet temperature vary from 67.1 °C (during winter) and 92.4 °C (during summer), while the energy efficiency varies with solar radiation, attaining a maximum of 62% during periods of high solar radiation. An exergy analysis also showed a pattern of improvement under different climatic conditions. The results indicate that curved-tube designs enhance heat transfer and efficiency to a much larger extent during process maximization. The proposed approaches thus give strong incentives for the transformation of a sustainable ultra-efficient solar water heater adaptable to seasonal and regional requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:13886150
DOI:10.1007/s10973-025-15095-7