Solar water pumps, based on electro-mechanical pumps powered by PV arrays, are commonly used and commercially available. However, one of the difficulties for their wider application in developing countries, where there is a high average insolation, is their relatively excessive cost. This arises mainly due to the high cost of the PV elements. Hence, this paper describes some developmental work and results of experimental tests on “low-tech” solar thermal water pumps which were built on the basis of Stirling engines with fluid pistons coupled to flat-plate solar collectors. Temperatures and pressures in the cycle are comparatively low, thus cheap design materials, such as glass and plastic, and a simple technology, available in the majority of mechanical workshops, can be used for their manufacture and consequently reduce their cost. Several design modifications of the above solar thermal water pumps have been developed and tested. The results obtained demonstrate that existing installations can be effectively applied for water pumping with a dynamic head which varies between 2-5 m. Furthermore, data from experimental tests shows that the pulsating motion of water in channels of the flat-plate solar collectors increases the collector’s efficiency by approximately 8-10%, which is a considerable advantage when a pump is used as part of a house solar heating system.
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Development of “Low-tech” Solar Thermal Water Pumps for Use in Developing Countries
E. Orda,
E. Orda
School of Engineering, The University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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K. Mahkamov
K. Mahkamov
School of Engineering, The University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
E. Orda
School of Engineering, The University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
K. Mahkamov
School of Engineering, The University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
Contributed by the Solar Energy Division of THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS for publication in the ASME JOURNAL OF SOLAR ENERGY ENGINEERING. Manuscript received by the ASME Solar Energy Division, February 2003; final revision, August 2003. Associate Editor: V. Mei.
J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2004, 126(2): 768-773 (6 pages)
Published Online: May 4, 2004
Article history
Received:
February 1, 2003
Revised:
August 1, 2003
Online:
May 4, 2004
Citation
Orda, E., and Mahkamov, K. (May 4, 2004). "Development of “Low-tech” Solar Thermal Water Pumps for Use in Developing Countries ." ASME. J. Sol. Energy Eng. May 2004; 126(2): 768–773. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1668015
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