[esp-r] Re: Solar collector plant components

[Jon Hand]

An question about an explicit representation of an evacuated tube solar collector....

I can imagine a virtual experiment where there was a thermal zone in the shape of
an evacuated tube however ESP-r would have no way of representing an mirror
reflections within the collector zone so that radiation was directed to an absorber.  Another
issue would be a zone with a vacuum. ESP-r might allow alternative to air filling
with liquids but a vacuum is not something that has been tried.  It might be
represented as very low surface convection on the inner surfaces.  

Although there is a slab heater plant component (fluid running in pipes in a slab)
I do not know anyone who has attempted to have the fluid running in a tube shaped
pipe in an evacuated tube shaped zone.  Might work, and this would be rather
at the extreme and require considerable attention to detail.  

Perhaps someone in the community can think outside-the-box and come up
with an approach?

Regards, Jon Hand
________________________________________
From: esp-r-bounces at lists.strath.ac.uk [esp-r-bounces at lists.strath.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Christopher Heard [cheard at prodigy.net.mx]
Sent: 06 June 2013 21:22
To: esp-r at lists.strath.ac.uk
Subject: [esp-r]  Solar collector plant components

I saw that back in December 2009 Andre Keul asked about modelling evacuated tube solar collectors by putting suitable values into a flate plate collector plant component.

I can't find a reply to the question.

Is there a workaround that enables a reasonable simulation of a evacuated tube solar collector?

A water filled building space with double glazing with a vacuum between the panes?

"- Building-side features can now be used to explicitly model systems.  This is
  achieved by allowing zones to be filled with fluids other than air (this affects
  solar absorption) and connected to flow networks established to represent any
  fluid type.  This enables, for example, the explicit modelling of water solar
  collectors and water-cooled windows."
[esp-r Digest, Vol 59, Issue 22]


Christopher Heard