Abstract
Salt gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) are thermal devices used for storing solar energy for low-temperature applications. The thermal performance analysis of an SGSP was investigated experimentally by artificially establishing a density gradient with sodium chloride (NaCl) and a mixture of potassium nitrite and potassium nitrate (KNO2-KNO3) solution under prevailing weather conditions in Salem, India. The solar pond was trapezoidal and constructed of plywood. The sides of the pond were completely covered with polythene sheets and given a black coating. The experiment was conducted over four months, and its thermal performance was noted. The outcomes of the experimental work showed that the solar pond with KNO2-KNO3 gives a temperature difference of approximately 35 °C between the lower convective zone (LCZ) and upper convective zone (UCZ) and observed maximum temperatures of 66 °C and 57 °C in the heat storage zone of the KNO2-KNO3 and NaCl solar ponds, respectively. Energy storage in the LCZ with KNO2-KNO3 was higher than that in the LCZ with NaCl, owing to the high-volume heat capacity of KNO2-KNO3 and the maximum temperature difference was approximately 9 °C. The energy efficiencies of the LCZ for NaCl and KNO2-KNO3 were 25 % and 33.5 %, respectively.
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Abbreviations
- As :
-
Surface area of the solar pond
- ALCZ :
-
Top surface area of the LCZ
- a:
-
Reflection factor of ponds surface
- Cp :
-
Thermal capacity of stored water
- I:
-
Amount of solar irradiation
- kw :
-
Thermal conductivity of brine solution
- Qstored :
-
Heat energy stored in LCZ
- Qin :
-
Heat input
- Qloss :
-
Heat losses
- Δt:
-
Time interval
- Zncz :
-
Height of NCZ
- μ :
-
Absorption coefficient
- η :
-
Efficiency
- β :
-
Percentage of solar radiation at UCZ
- θ :
-
Angle
- i:
-
Incident
- r:
-
Refraction
- sw:
-
Sidewall
- bw:
-
Bottom wall
- DAQ:
-
Data acquisition
- LCZ:
-
Lower convective zone
- NCZ:
-
Non convective zone
- SGSP:
-
Salt gradient solar pond
- UCZ:
-
Upper convective zone
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P. Dineshkumar is a full time Ph.D. (Anna University, Chennai) scholar at Government College of Engineering, Salem in Department of Mechanical Engineering. He has received his B.E. degree from Mahendra Engineering College and M.E. degree from Government College of Engineering, Salem. His field of interest includes renewable energy, nanofluids and heat exchanger.
M. Raja is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Government College of Engineering, Salem. He has received his B.E. degree from the Government College of Engineering, Salem and M. Tech. from the National Institute of Technology, Trichy. He pursued his Doctorate degree in area of heat transfer from Anna University, Chennai, India. His area of research includes renewable energy, Thermal Engineering, nanofluids and heat exchangers. He has more than 15 years of academic experience.
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Dineshkumar, P., Raja, M. Experimental study on the thermal performance of a KNO2-KNO3 mixture in a trapezoidal solar pond. J Mech Sci Technol 35, 5765–5772 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-021-1145-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-021-1145-4