Solar-powered Heater for Increasing the Temperature of Water for Hydroponics
Kolberg, Alexandra; Manzek, Nicholas; McDermott, Siobhan; Thompson, Connor
2015-12-14
Abstract
A fish farm in the Kazakh town of Shelek would like to add variety to its output by beginning to raise Tilapia. There is an artesian well on the property that produces water at a constant 16°C year round. The task is to design a solar-powered system to heat the water produced by the well to 26°C, allowing the farmers to raise warm water fish, including Tilapia. In order to determine a final design, the group combined what was perceived to be the most promising components of the functional decomposition into five complete designs. The most important design component to consider was the method by which the device heated water; as such, each design heated water in a different way using either passive solar heating, active solar with direct or indirect circulation, hybrid passive-active solar, or gas-powered heating. The design the group ultimately chose utilizes active solar energy and direct water circulation. Specifically, water taken into the system is circulated through pipes that feed through a chamber exposed to sunlight beneath a clear polycarbonate surface. With each pass through the system, the water is incrementally heated until it is hot enough for use in the fish tanks, at which point it can be transferred to an insulated storage tank from which it can be accessed by the fish farmers. While the final design heats water entirely with solar power, it does not use solar energy to circulate water through the system. Instead, the design uses a pump to expedite the circulatory process. The group does not anticipate this need to be a problem, as the fish farm currently has infrastructure in place that moves water from the site of the artesian well to the facility itself. Heat transfer analysis performed on the solar collector and the environment surrounding the fish tanks. Based on the analysis, the theoretical model indicates that the solar collector can heat the 16°C water to 19°C at a flow rate of 14 kg/s from one pass through under ideal conditions. Additionally, it was determined that for days of high humidity, a lower supply of 26°C water is needed, whereas on days of low humidity, a supply of higher supply of 26°C water is needed. The prototype design is complete and has been through validation testing. The prototype is comprised of a scale model half the size of our recommended water heater, along with a pump and a water cooler to circulate a sample of water as a proof-of-concept test. The frame of the device itself was constructed from wood, and copper piping was used to circulate the water inside the device. A multiwall polycarbonate sheet was used to complete the prototype. The prototype itself was tested successfully, heating water at a rate of approximately 10°C per hour. The next steps for the project include implementing automatic temperature control systems to make the system fully automated.Subjects
ME450
Description
ME450 Capstone Design and Manufacturing Experience: Fall 2015
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