Browsing by Author "Norton, Brian"
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Item Open Access Passive solar space and water heating systems(Cranfield University, 1990-06) Lo, S. N. G.; Norton, BrianThe performance of three types of passive solar feature has been studied; fifteen Roof-Space Collectors on an estate of low energy houses at the Milton Keynes Energy Park, 101m2 of Thermosyphoning Air Panels at a county primary school in Nazeing, Essex, and three Thermosyphon Solar Water Heaters installed on a group of three terraced cottages at Cranfield, Bedfordshire. Each of these passive solar features was monitored intensively for at least one heating season using dedicated data-acquisition systems. The maximum specific annual solar contributions to the auxiliary space/water heating systems were 128 kWh/M2 , 78 kWh/M2' and 104 kWh/M2 respectively. The corresponding payback periods were 25,37 & 21 years respectively, on replication.Item Open Access Solar energy applications in the Yemen Arab Republic(Cranfield University, 1986) Al-Motawakel, M. K.; Norton, Brian; Probert, S. D.; McVeigh, J. C.It is indeed seldom that a specialised subject can be considered independently. Usually it is allied to and embodied in a systematic sequence of principles, and its field is generally an integral part of a reflection of some broader conception. This is especially true of this thesis, which is concerned with the climatic environmental influences on regional architecture. In the process of evolving the passive solar aspects, theoretical considerations yielded some interesting details and solutions. Examples studied showed a great variety of design principles. Thus as the material grew it suggested an entity -a theme itself. Cont/d.Item Open Access Solar refrigeration: evaluation of technical options and design of a solar-generator-adsorber for a novel adsorption refrigerator(Cranfield University, 1989-09) Tabassum, Salim Abid; Norton, BrianVarious technical options for developing a solar operated refrigerator have been discussed. Their suitability for being used as a vaccine store for the conditions specified by the World Health (EPI) Organization Expanded Programme on Immunization 4have been evaluated. A model to predict the performance of a photovoltaic refrigerator have been developed and used to identify factors which influence its performance. It was concluded that it can be more competitive in areas where insolation is high and sunshine hours are long. It has been proposed that ice-lined refrigerators, which would run during the day, may be more economical and eliminate the need for a battery storage. The option of operating an 'Electrolux' absorption refrigerator with evacuated tube heat pipe collectors has been assessed. It was concluded that the operation was not possible without a major re-design of the commercially available models. However, it was proposed that coordination of the EPI with other development programmes may be useful. It is proposed to build, with this coordinated effort, biogas plants. Biogas can then fuel the modified burner of the kerosene fueled absorption refrigerators. This may well prove to be a cheaper option. Characterization of various adsorption pairs has been done using the experimental rig developed for the purpose. The influence of various properties of adsorption pairs on the performance of an adsorption refrigeration cycle has been studied. It was observed that the generation temperature in an adsorption refrigeration cycle (or a bivariant absorption system), for a specified operating regime, was only a function of the refrigerant. A relationship between the refrigerant properties and the generating temperature for specified operating conditions was developed. Using this relationship it was established that ammonia and methanol cannot be generated at temperatures below 1200C for WHO/EPI specified operating conditions, if the condenser was air-cooled. A novel idea of direct absorption of solar radiation into the activated carbon bed is put forward to combat the temperature differential of 214°C, in a conventional design of SGA, between the carbon and the metal container. The idea was practically implemented by replacing the top of the metal box by transparent glass sheet. The seal between the metal container and glass imposed practical difficulties in that design but the tests proved that the idea had potential. A new tubular design of the SGA is proposed finally which is hoped to bring improvement to the performance of activated carbon adsorption refrigerators.Item Open Access Thermosyphon solar water heaters : validated numerical simulation and design correlations(Cranfield University, 1988-03) Hobson, P. A.; Norton, BrianA detailed analysis of the heat transfers and fluid flows within a direct thermosyphonic solar-energy water-heater has been undertaken. The collector energy equations when cast in a two-dimensional form enabled heat transfer and thermal capacitance effects to be simulated accurately at the small flow rates encountered commonly in such systems. An investigation of thermocline relaxation processes within the store indicated negligible mixing at the store inlet over a wide range of Richardsons numbers (43,608 < Ri < 729,016). Thermal relaxation under conditions of no flow was shown to be due predominantly to axial conduction along the store wall. The use of an appropriate non-isothermal friction factor correlation when calculating frictional losses in the collector's riser pipes, produced predicted steady-state flow rates which were corroborated experimentally to within 2%. An indoor test facility, monitored and controlled by a microcomputer, enabled "real" operating conditions to be simulated. The predicted responses of the system to identical conditions showed good agreement with the corresponding experimental observations, the predicted heat delivery being within 2.8% of the measured value. A technique for correlating the daily performances of thermosyphon solar-energy water-heaters has been developed. The five dimensionless groups which form the basis of the correlations and the functional relationships between these groups were derived from an analytical solution of a linear first-order differential transient heat balance carried out on a generic system. Thermal performance data used in the correlations was generated by the numerical simulation using representative U. K. hourly weather data and operating conditions. The minimum amount of data required to establish a characteristic curve for an individual system was found to be thirty days. Using such a curve, the total annual solar fraction agreed with that predicted by the high level model to within 3%. Two universal curves were determined in which the gradients of characteristic curves were correlated against the derived dimensionless groups. The accuracy of the resulting two-stage algorithm in determining annual solar fractions was established as ranging from 5.5% for predominantly multiple-pass systems to a mean of 10.5% for single-pass systems.