Investigación experimental de un colector solar de tubo de calor utilizado como una alternativa ecológica para el calentamiento del agua

Producto derivado del proyecto con radicado 336C-11/18-19
An experimental study of a heat pipe solar collector was carried out to analyze the system efficiency through ambient temperature and solar radiation variations, for being used as an ecological alternative for water heating. A heat pipe solar water heater is 50 % more efficient that conventional systems, considering the water temperature at the prototype outlet. Due to this system uses solar energy, it helps to reduce the electric energy consumption in 26.5 % required for an electric shower. Data was taken in several weather conditions, testing the system in sunny, rainy and cloudy days to get operation values and the solar radiation intensity. Water reached a maximum temperature of 40.4 °C within a solar radiation range between 700 and 800 W/m2. System efficiency will depend of some factors such as solar radiation, wind velocity and ambient temperature. The highest efficiency reached by this system is around 50 % in a sunny day, meanwhile on a rainy weather it was 37 %. The implementation of this system can help reducing 226.5 kg of CO2 emissions produced by the daily use of an electric shower. The aim of this research is to determine the best conditions to achieve the highest efficiency of the system.