Modeling of solar thermal heat pipe collectors with overheating prevention in system simulations

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Julian Jensen
  • Bert Schiebler
  • Stephan Kabelac
  • Federico Giovannetti

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Institute for Solar Energy Research (ISFH)
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number112861
JournalSolar Energy
Volume282
Early online date6 Sept 2024
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2024

Abstract

Solar thermal collectors can provide renewable heat in an efficient way. They face however issues of overheating under certain circumstances, which can lead to thermal stress and steam formation. One solution to this issue consists in using solar thermal collectors with overheating prevention based on heat pipes. This paper presents the new TRNSYS type 839 that accurately reproduces the heat pipe overheating prevention effect. The model is validated using data from high accuracy solar tracker measurements as well as real solar thermal systems. A mean absolute deviation in the validation of less than 2 % shows the functionality and accuracy of type 839. The results were compared with simulations using the existing Type 832 (without heat pipe limitation) and the simpler 2-part efficiency curve approach adapted from practice-oriented planning tools. By comparison, type 832 shows a mean absolute deviation of 44.8 % using the same data. The use of the 2-part efficiency curve approach results in a mean absolute deviation of 49 %. With type 839 it is possible to design and evaluate solar thermal collectors with heat pipe limitation in TRNSYS and assess their use in a wide variety of systems. The new model is particularly recommended for applications with a relatively high and constant temperature level (e.g. process or district heating), for gross heat yield simulations or for the design of systems in order to correctly analyze the influence of the heat pipe limitation.

Keywords

    Heat pipe, Overheating prevention, Simulation, Solar thermal collector, TRNSYS, Type 832, Type 839

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

Modeling of solar thermal heat pipe collectors with overheating prevention in system simulations. / Jensen, Julian; Schiebler, Bert; Kabelac, Stephan et al.
In: Solar Energy, Vol. 282, 112861, 01.11.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Jensen J, Schiebler B, Kabelac S, Giovannetti F. Modeling of solar thermal heat pipe collectors with overheating prevention in system simulations. Solar Energy. 2024 Nov 1;282:112861. Epub 2024 Sept 6. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2024.112861
Jensen, Julian ; Schiebler, Bert ; Kabelac, Stephan et al. / Modeling of solar thermal heat pipe collectors with overheating prevention in system simulations. In: Solar Energy. 2024 ; Vol. 282.
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