Transient Analytical Model of a Solar-Assisted Indoor Swimming Pool Heating System

Abstract

This study deals with the thermal performance of a solar-assisted heating system for the Jordan University of Science and Technology indoor Olympic swimming pool. Solar heating is accomplished by using hot water generated by heat exchange with the solar evacuated tube collector working fluid. A transient analytical approach has been adopted for developing an explicit expression for the pool temperature, including all thermal losses. Detailed computations have been made from the beginning of September until the end of May. The effect of relevant parameters such as collector area, heat removal factors, collector heat loss coefficient, and evaporation losses on the performance of the proposed systems is investigated. The effect of covering the pool has been manifested in the analysis to reduce heat losses. The percentage of primary energy savings is used to measure the performance of the system. It is found that using a collector area equal to 53% of the pool surface results in 100% savings in primary energy for both pool heating and domestic hot water; for a collector area of 40% of the pool surface, 87% of primary energy savings results; and for a collector area of 26.6% of the pool surface, the energy saving is 59%. Financial analysis reveals that utilizing a 200-m2 collector area has the lowest energy production cost among the considered alternatives ($0.011/kW·h).