Performance Study of a Solar Integrated Central Heating System of a Residential Building using TRNSYS-An Hourly Simulation Model

The performance of an existing heating system of a residential building incorporated with an array of solar thermal collectors was studied. For this purpose, transient systems simulation program model was assembled to estimate the hour-by-hour performance of the existing and the system equipped with the solar thermal collectors in terms of the provided space air conditions and energy consumption. In the modified heating system, the capability of the three standard types of solar collectors, namely, unglazed, glazed painted absorber, and evacuated tube liquid flat-plate solar collectors for providing required heating energy into the space was examined to determine the most appropriate configuration. Based on the simulation results, the system incorporated with the solar thermal collectors was capable of providing the desired indoor air conditions for four and five months of the year. However, the energy performance of the plants indicated that the existing system incorporated with the glazed painted absorber solar collectors (Plant B) has the priority in terms of the energy savings while it could provide the desired indoor air conditions for five months of the year and it is recommended to be implemented in the existing central heating system.