A computer study of solar water heating

A computer model of a domestic solar water heating system was used to investigate the effect of changes in design parameters on the performance of the system. The theor y underlying each component of the model is described and the approximations made are discussed. The model showed that annual heat output was highly dependent on the total collector area of the system but that other changes, in collector slope, orientation, storage tank volume etc, had relatively small effect. The daily pattern of demand for hot water was also shown to influence performance.