Title: Dynamic exergetic performance assessment of an integrated solar pond

Authors: Mehmet Karakilcik; Ismail Bozkurt; Ibrahim Dincer

Addresses: Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Letters, University of Çukurova, Adana 01330, Turkey ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Adiyaman, Adiyaman 02040, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4, Canada

Abstract: In this paper, we present an experimental investigation of the exergetic performance of a solar pond integrated with solar collectors (with a surface area of 2096 m² and a depth of 2 m, and four flat-plate collectors with dimensions of 1.90 m × 0.90 m). A data acquisition device is used to measure and record the temperatures hourly at various locations in the pond. An exergy model is developed to study the dynamic exergetic performance of the solar pond integrated with solar collectors in terms of exergy efficiencies which are then compared with the corresponding energy efficiencies. Thus, the energy efficiencies are found to be 21.33%, 23.59%, 24.28% and 26.52%; the exergy efficiencies are found to be 20.02%, 21.66%, 22.24% and 23.84% for using 1, 2, 3 and 4 collectors, respectively. The energy efficiencies are compared with the corresponding exergy efficiencies.

Keywords: solar energy; thermal energy; ISP; integrated solar ponds; energy efficiency; exergy efficiency; performance assessment; solar collectors; solar power; exergy modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2013.052544

International Journal of Exergy, 2013 Vol.12 No.1, pp.70 - 86

Received: 09 Mar 2012
Accepted: 22 May 2012
Published online: 11 Mar 2013 *

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