Which Solar Heater Coil Design Will Heat Water Most Effectively?

What Copper Coil Will Heat Water Most Effectively?

Abby Fuscaldo

Have you ever wondered how successful a homemade solar water heater could be? I chose to test the variable, whether the length of a copper coil will affect how much warm water will get. As the water travels through the long and short coils will it get warmer, will it be more efficient? I chose this topic of solar energy because people are starting to use it more and more, and it is creating a bigger scene each year. According to http://www.seia.org/ 135,000 people decided to go solar in the first half of 2015 year. Countless amounts of people now use solar energy. My hypothesis was the longer and more the coil showing in the solar collector, the higher the temperature of the water will heat. This was because there would be more coil exposed to the sun, therefore more water heated at once.

My experiment incorporated a lot of supplies and steps in order to complete the test. First, I had to build 2 different Solar Water Heaters. We used 2 cardboard boxes, 20 ft. of copper piping¾ (to keep the water as warm as possible), and two small tin paint cans. In addition to those supplies, we also used insulation, black spray paint(to paint the copper and boxes), 2 paint trays, 2 pieces of thick plastic, and plastic tubing. Once I had purchased the supplies and copper bending utensil, it was time to bend it into the desired shape. The first was bent into a U-shape which was 4 ft. The next piece of copper was bent into a round swirl shaped way, which added up to 16 ft. To keep in warmth, we wrapped insulation around the paint cans containing the water. One of the sunniest days we had, I put the experiment out. I used a digital thermometer, and checked the temperature at a set interval. The interval was every 30 minutes. Every 30 minutes I took the temperature of inside both paint cans and collected all of the data. Soon after, graphed all of the data.

Both of the water in the cans started as the same temperature, and end at the same as the other. The water started out at 50 degrees fahrenheit. After 30 minutes in the sun, they both rose to 51 degrees. After an hour and a half into testing they both went to 55 degrees, Finally, they both rose to 57 degrees. After that, the temperatures went down once again as the sun set. The temperature rose 7 degrees.

The data from the experiment I had planned was very unexpected and surprising. Overall, after analysing the data from both, I found that the length and shape of the coils didn’t make a difference. I learned that the water still added up to be the same temperature, all the way until the end. My hypothesis was mistaken. I had predicted that since the 14 foot coil had more surface area, that the copper coil had more space and chance to collect more sunlight. It was proven incorrect because both coils went up in temperature in sync. A variable that could have affected this experiment was the temperature outside, and wind chill. There is less a chance for the water to warm up if it is cold outside. I have grasped that solar heating, let alone energy, is a hard topic to crack.

Question

What Copper Coil Will Heat Water Most Effectively?

Hypothesis

I had predicted that since the 14 foot coil had more surface area, that the copper coil had more space and chance to collect more sunlight.

Procedure

My experiment incorporated a lot of supplies and steps in order to complete the test. First, I had to build 2 different Solar Water Heaters. We used 2 cardboard boxes, 20 ft. of copper piping¾ (to keep the water as warm as possible), and two small tin paint cans. In addition to those supplies, we also used insulation, black spray paint(to paint the copper and boxes), 2 paint trays, 2 pieces of thick plastic, and plastic tubing. Once I had purchased the supplies and copper bending utensil, it was time to bend it into the desired shape. The first was bent into a U-shape which was 4 ft. The next piece of copper was bent into a round swirl shaped way, which added up to 16 ft. To keep in warmth, we wrapped insulation around the paint cans containing the water. One of the sunniest days we had, I put the experiment out. I used a digital thermometer, and checked the temperature at a set interval. The interval was every 30 minutes. Every 30 minutes I took the temperature of inside both paint cans and collected all of the data. Soon after, graphed all of the data.

Conclusion

The data from the experiment I had planned was very unexpected and surprising. Overall, after analysing the data from both, I found that the length and shape of the coils didn’t make a difference. I learned that the water still added up to be the same temperature, all the way until the end. My hypothesis was mistaken. I had predicted that since the 14 foot coil had more surface area, that the copper coil had more space and chance to collect more sunlight. It was proven incorrect because both coils went up in temperature in sync. A variable that could have affected this experiment was the temperature outside, and wind chill. There is less a chance for the water to warm up if it is cold outside. I have grasped that solar heating, let alone energy, is a hard topic to crack.