INFLUENCE OF A PIPING ON HEAT COLLECTING RATE OF DISTRIBUTED COLLECTOR SYSTEM

ABSTRACT Heat collecting characteristics of collector system are influenced by collector performance and heat losses from pipe system connecting collectors. Although, it is important to improve collector performance, effect of piping heat loss on heat collecting characteristics of a collector system is emphasized in this paper. Because it is reported that the heat loss from the pipes during operation is greater than its value designed. We, therefore, made experimental study to clarify its effect. It is shown from the experimental results that it is important to make the total length of the pipes as short as possible from the viewpoint of the improvement of heat collecting characteristics.