Department: Mechanical Engineering

Course: Renewable Energy

Course Code: ME 247
Group: 1

Date: February/March 2016

Marks: 10
Time: 30 mints
Prof. Adel. Nasser

Question 1:
A flat plate solar collector with an area of 4.1 m2 is tested by the ASHRAE method with beam radiation nearly
normal to the plane of the collector and the following data have been recorded.
Qu MJ/hr
9.05
8.00
5.18
2.88
1.98

i.

Ic W/m2
864
930
730
650
894

TinC
43
65
54
86
93

ToutC
49
73
57
90
99

TambC
10
10
10
10
10

kg/sec
0.0306
0.0314
0.0300
0.0326
0.0333

Consider the mean collector temperature is the mean between inlet and outlet temperatures. Find out
graphically the constants for such a flat plate collector then find the efficiency for the same flat plate
collector when the solar radiation is 600 W/m2, the collector temperature is 27C and the ambient
temperature is 20C.

Question 2:
A flat plate solar collector of area 3 m2 has been tested and the following results are recorded.
Ic W/m2
661
894

kg/sec
0.0864
0.01644

TinC
16
85

ToutC
20
91

TambC
12
10

Tcollector C
18
86

Find out either graphically or analytically the and Ul for this collector
Question 3:
A flat plate solar collector is used to generate electric power. The incident radiation is 600 W/m 2, The overall
heat transfer coefficient is 4 W/m2.K, The collector efficiency equals 0.7, The mass flow rate of water through
the collector is 0.0008 kg/m2.sec, The effective transmitivity is 0.8, The ambient temperature is 20C and
The collector area is 50,000 m2.
Assuming that the efficiency of heat engine is one-third that of the Carnot engine working between the
ambient temperature and the collector outlet temperature. If the collector temperature equals the mean
between inlet and outlet temperatures estimate the power generated.