A Year Around System Simulation for An Experimental Set-Up of A Thermosyphon Solar Water Heater in Thailand

Due to the high cost and environmental impacts fossil fuel, solar energy remains the most efficient alternative source of energy for water heating. A Solar Water Heater is a widely used apparatus in Thailand as an application of solar thermal energy. In this project a prevailing experimental set up of a thermosyphon solar water heater was used to experiment, model and simulate the yearly performance. The results of the simulations were based on a solar water with a collector surface of 2.16 m(2), facing south with a tilt angle of 14 degrees and a storage tank of 150 litres, operated at SIIT, Thammasat University in Pathum Thani. After the experimental data modelling a yearly simulation was carried using solar radiation levels and ambient temperatures as inputs to the simulation. After the yearly simulation, the average collector efficiency is 49 %, average collector temperature is 48 degrees C and average Storage temperature is 47 degrees C.