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Project Results
Independently, the components of the system functioned as expected. The internal temperature of the heat exchanger got over 200 degrees, melting the styrofoam nozzle and diffuser. A nozzle and diffuser made of wood had to be constructed instead. In addition, the heat exchanger was capable of transferring large amounts of heat from the air to the water in just a short pass.
The system failed at the compressor, however. Because a fast enough mass flow rate could not be obtained, heat could not be transferred quickly enough to heat a 50 gallon tank in one day. Instead, it was only able to heat 10 gallons of water in one day.
The project did end with future hopes, however. If a fan/compressor can be found that is capable of delivering a 40 CFM of air at the given system pressure, then the experiment would have been a success. An alternative would have been to leave the system open and use a compresser at the inlet to the solar collector. This would require that the collector be air tight in order to function.
Even though the system failed to perform as required, the project is still considered a success. It was proven that the heat exchanger is capable of harvesting a large amount of heat. Subsequently, it was shown that heat can be transferred effectively to the water. Now, it is upon the next class to find a way to deliver that heat from the solar collector to the hear exchanger without incurring substantial losses.
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