Experimental Analysis of Solar Water Heater Using Porous Medium with Agitator

Abstract The objective of the work is to improve the thermal efficiency of the system by energy conversion processes from the solar collector to the working fluid. The experiment consists of solar collector with porous medium such as pebble stones as packed with the agitator. The collector having the riser tube, the basic purpose of agitator in the riser tube is to improve the heat transfer rate in the system. Here the pebble stones are used to absorb the heat energy and stored in the materials, then it will be gradually transmitted to the working fluids for long duration. The experiment has conducted with porous medium and without the porous medium. The temperature have noted for certain period of time interval and also noted the solar radiation. With respect to these available data and designed value of collector capacity, heat absorption and efficiency have been calculated. In which both factor is being considered and placing of agitator with pebble stones can increase convective heat transfer and reduce thermal loss thereby efficiency is increased gradually.