A Numerical Study on the Thermal Characteristics of Double Skin Vacuum Tubes with Coaxial Fluid Conduit

등축 유로 장착 이중 태양열 진공관의 열적 특성에 관한 수치해석적 연구

A numerical study has been carried out for a solar water heater which consists of double skin solar vacuum tubes. Water is heated as it flows through the coaxial fluid conduit inserted in each tube. The space between the exterior of the fluid conduit and the glass tube is tilled with antifreeze solution. This is to facilitate heat transfer from the solar heated absorber surface to water and to prevent the functional problems due to freezing in frigid weather conditions. A one-dimensional steady state model is fully described which will be used to develop three-dimensional model using STAR-CD. These models could be used efficiently in designing double skin solar collector tubes with different geometrical parameters other than those considered in the present analysis. Results show a good agreement when compared with other experimental data demonstrating the reliability of the one-dimensional model employed.