Comparative study of pebble absorber solar thermal collector (PASTC) with conventional absorber solar thermal collector (CASTC)

• Main Authors: Channa Keshava Naik, N., Shashi Shekar, K.S., Gautham, M.G., Prasad, T.B.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorber; Copper; Pebbles; Thermal collector; Thermal performance
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.02.354

The two major requirements for the success of any technology in today’s scenario are i) Least investment & maintenance cost and ii) Least pollution. Keeping this in mind a modification is suggested in the present work, wherein the metal absorbers (copper and aluminium) of a conventional solar thermal collector are replaced by naturally available, least expensive and zero polluting pebble absorbers. From the test results it is found that the modified collector performs better than conventional collector at a cost of about 65% of the total cost of conventional collector and the raise in average temperature of about 8 °C in the modified collector. Thus in this work, the cost of modified collector was reduced by 35% with an increase in average operating temperature of 8 °C. Another useful advantages of this modified collector is that there is no maintenance for absorber which is essential for absorber tubes of conventional collector. In the conventional collector, over a period of usage the tube corrodes resulting in decreasing performance of collector. By chemical treating this can be prevented which will add to maintenance cost. However this problem of corrosion is completely prevented in the modified collector since ordinary pebbles are used in place of copper and aluminium made absorber tubes.