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An experimental study of influence of hot water consumption rate on the thermal stratification inside a horizontal mantle storage tank

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Abstract

In this study the thermal characteristics of horizontal mantle heat exchangers are investigated for application in active solar water heaters. Some important parameters such as flow rate, thermal short circuit, average temperature, and convection heat transfer coefficient and inlet velocity have been investigated too. The results show that the thermal efficiency of the storage tank is critically impaired by the effect of short circuit phenomenon and mixing caused by turbulence.

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Abbreviations

\( A \) :

The area between tank and mantle (m2)

\( C_{p} \) :

Specific heat at constant pressure (J/kg K)

\( \overline{{h_{o} }} \) :

Mean convective heat transfer coefficient of mantle wall (W/m2 K)

\( \dot{m}_{m} \) :

Inlet mass flow rate into mantle (L/min)

\( t \) :

Time (s)

\( \overline{{T_{in} }} \) :

Average temperature of inlet to mantle (°C)

\( \overline{{T_{out} }} \) :

Average temperature of outlet from mantle (°C)

\( \overline{{T_{m} }} \) :

Average water temperature in mantle (°C)

\( \overline{{T_{s} }} \) :

Average temperature of inner surface of the tank (°C)

\( T_{ci} \) :

Temperature of inlet water into tank (°C)

\( V \) :

Volume of hot water drawn off (L)

\( v_{j} \) :

Volume of j th layer (m3)

\( E_{out} \) :

Storage energy into the tank before draw offs

\( E_{st} \) :

Used energy of tank during draw offs

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

η :

Efficiency

m :

Mantle

in :

Inlet

out :

Outlet

s :

Surface wall

T out :

Temperature of outlet water from tank (°C)

T j :

Average temperature of j th thermocouples (°C)

t :

Required time for water draw-offs (s)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Islamic Azad University, Minoodasht Branch, Young Researcher Club, Minoodasht, Iran

    Mohsen Jannatabadi

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1530 3rd Ave S, BEC 257, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA

    Hessam Taherian

Authors
  1. Mohsen Jannatabadi
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  2. Hessam Taherian
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Correspondence to Mohsen Jannatabadi.

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Jannatabadi, M., Taherian, H. An experimental study of influence of hot water consumption rate on the thermal stratification inside a horizontal mantle storage tank. Heat Mass Transfer 48, 1103–1112 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-011-0958-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-011-0958-6

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