Evaluating the Effectiveness of Flat Plate Solar Collector for Water Heating in Pakistan

Abstract

Energy demands and costs are amplified by the escalation of population, the depletion of fossil fuels, economic growth, and the adoption of energy-intensive lifestyles. Hence, the need for eco-friendly solar thermal systems for water and space heating surges, as solar energy exhibits numerous positive environmental impacts. With the help of thermal collectors and solar cells, one can immediately receive heat and power from the sun. Solar water heating systems are among the most popular solar thermal applications. The current investigation executes the solar thermal water heating system analysis for Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Peshawar, four major Pakistani cities, considering the thermal proficiency of flat plate collector solar water heating system. Various factors are assessed, such as the auxiliary energy source, solar fraction, and the quantity of heat energy supplied by solar collector for heating water. The amount of auxiliary energy required to fulfill the heat energy demand is recorded as maximum in January for Lahore, Multan, and Peshawar but for Karachi, it is maximum in July. It is observed that due to the presence of the Arabian sea, the climatic conditions of Karachi differ from other cities. According to the findings, it is observed that the proposed system is suitable for Lahore, Karachi, Multan, and Peshawar in respective order.