Abstract
Thermal mixing and stratification are explored experimentally in a horizontal cylindrical tank, which simulates a storage of water heated by a solar collector. The tank is 70 cm long and 24 cm in diameter. The study is conducted in a transient mode, namely, the tank is filled with hot water, which in the course of operation is replaced by the tap water in a stratified way or by mixing. The flow rates of 2 l/min, 3 l/min, 5 l/min, and 7 l/min are explored. Temperature of hot water is usually about 55 °C, while the tap water is about 20 °C. In the experiments, both flow visualization and temperature measurements are used. The effects of port location and deflector installation are examined. The experimental results are presented in a dimensionless form, as the normalized outlet temperature versus dimensionless time. Three-dimensional transient numerical simulations, done using the FLUENT 6 software, provide an additional insight in the process of mixing inside the tank.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 310041-310046 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Transactions of the ASME |
| Volume | 131 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Aug 2009 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Energy Engineering and Power Technology
