Experimental investigation of an off-grid CPC system integrated with a radiator for the application of space heating

Compound parabolic collectors (CPC) are non-tracking concentrators capable of producing lower to medium-range heating (temperature range of 50–80 °C), making them suitable for space heating applications. CPCs raise the heat transfer fluid temperature to a specific value depending upon the solar irradiation received at the location. In this study, CPC is used to harness the solar energy, and an insulated tank is used to store thermal energy. To facilitate space heating, the hot fluid from the thermal storage tank is passed through a radiator, transferring the thermal energy from the tank to the target heating load. The overall setup consists of two loops with water as heat transfer fluid. Both loops consist of a pump that uses solar PV power. An experimental test setup was installed to measure the ambient heat transfer fluid, radiator fin, and room temperature. The combined system was tested for its performance under actual weather conditions prevailing in the area. Experiments were performed to investigate space heating potential at night, evening, and full day. The energy stored and collector efficiency were calculated for each day. The total thermal energy stored in the tank on a typical day was 67.79 MJ, and the collector efficiency was evaluated to be around 43.7 %. As per the experiment results, the combined CPC and radiator system have a significant potential to be explored in space heating. •Experimental analysis of a space heating system based on CPC is presented.•Sizing of the solar PV system for driving the water pumps is carried out.•System maintains room temperatures between 18°C and 21 °C in winter season.•Results show that the average collector efficiency can reach up to 47.1 %.•Total thermal energy stored in the tank on a typical day can reach 63.7 MJ.