Construção de um aquecedor solar utilizando material reciclado para aquecimento de água de uso doméstico no estado do Ceará

Abstract

Water heating is a process that requires considerable thermal energy, however, the use of solar energy, which is abundant in the region, associated with alternative materials for construction of a passive flat solar heater, is a promising way in using this type of energy. The prototype was built and tested at Solar Energy and Natural Gas Laboratory (LESGN) and Thin-film and Renewable Energy Laboratory (LAFFER) of the Federal University of Ceará. The absorbing surface of the heater was made with two PVC plates painted with matte black enamel, having an area of 1.4m².Its pipes and fittings were made of brown PVC. The thermal reservoir with 230L capacity was made of plastic. The experiments were conducted between 8 am and 6pm for five days. The alternative flat solar heater showed satisfactory results, reaching its purpose of water heating for bathing. The experimental results based on the room temperature, daily global radiation, outlet and the inlet temperatures of the heater, show an average thermal efficiency of 22%, being able to increase the temperature of the water by 20°C, approximately