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TH561 · Solar Thermal Energy

Experimental Apparatus for the Study of Solar Thermal Energy Conversion

A complete, working model of a solar water heating system. Its own lighting unit simulates the sun, so experiments run whatever the weather. Students tilt the flat collector, change the light intensity and the flow rate, swap the absorber and plot the efficiency curve of the collector from their own measurements.
TH561
Description
    The TH561 shows how a solar system heats domestic water. It is a complete, working model of a solar thermal system. A lighting unit simulates natural solar radiation, so laboratory experiments do not depend on the weather. The absorber of the flat collector turns the radiation into heat and passes it to a heat transfer fluid. A pump moves the fluid through the hot water storage tank, where an integrated heat exchanger passes the heat to the water.

    Students set different angles of incidence and different light intensities. The collector comes with a selective absorber, and students replace it with a simpler blackened absorber to study the losses of the heating system. External consumers connect to the storage tank.

    Sensors measure the temperatures in the storage tank, at the collector inlet and outlet and of the ambient air, and a sensor measures the illuminance. The apparatus sends the measured values to a PC over USB. The supplied software shows the data clearly and analyses it further. Any number of workstations on the local LAN or WLAN network can follow and analyse the experiment.
230V
L 1850 W 850 H 1550 mm
170 kg
Low three-quarter view of the TH561 apparatus
Lighting unit
simulates solar radiation
Angle adjustment
Absorber
replaceable
Flat collector
Hot water storage tank
with heat exchanger
Circulation pump
Aluminium profile frame
Heat transfer fluid circuit
Electrical enclosure
Main switch
Castors
Low three-quarter view of the TH561 apparatus
Lighting unit
simulates solar radiation
Angle adjustment
Absorber
replaceable
Flat collector
Hot water storage tank
with heat exchanger
Circulation pump
Aluminium profile frame
Heat transfer fluid circuit
Electrical enclosure
Main switch
Castors
Main characteristics
  • complete, working model of a solar water heating system
  • lighting unit that simulates solar radiation, for experiments independent of the weather
  • flat collector with adjustable angle of incidence and light intensity
  • selective absorber, replaceable with a blackened absorber
  • hot water storage tank with integrated heat exchanger and connections for external consumers
  • temperature and illuminance readings sent to a PC over USB
  • analysis software, with the experiment followed at any number of workstations over LAN or WLAN
Technical specifications
    Operating environment use under laboratory conditions
    Power supply 230 V, 50 Hz, single-phase
    Measuring ranges temperature 4 × 0…100 °C; flow rate 0…30 L/h; illuminance 0…3 kW/m²
    Flat collector absorber with selective coating; absorber with blackened coating; absorbing surface 320 × 330 mm; inclination angle 0…60°
    Lighting unit 16 × 75 W
    Pump adjustable flow rate, 0…24 L/h
    Analysis software included
    Apparatus L 1850 × H 1550 × D 850 mm
    Weight approx. 170 kg
Learning objectives / experiments
  • design and operation of a simple solar thermal system
  • determining the net power
  • energy balance on the solar collector
  • influence of illuminance, angle of incidence and flow rate
  • determining efficiency curves
  • influence of different absorbing surfaces
Scope of delivery
  • 1 apparatus with lighting unit, flat collector, pump and hot water storage tank
  • 2 absorbers, one with selective coating and one with blackened coating
  • 1 measuring cup
  • 1 analysis software with USB cable
  • 1 set of instructional material

All components and accessories listed under Scope of delivery are supplied, whether or not they are visible in the illustrations.

Required for operation
  • 230 V, 50 Hz, 1 phase
  • Windows PC for the analysis software
  • local LAN or WLAN network, for workstations that follow the experiment