The Optimal Control of Liquid Type Solar Energy Systems

Abstract

A computer model of a liquid type solar energy system is presented. Using this model, the effect of the flow rate of liquid through a solar energy system on the system efficiency is invest±gated in the light of finding an optimal flow rate. The dependence of this optimal flow rate on the environment is then found. The optimal control of the flow rate is compared to the differential thermostat and proportional control methods of controlling the flow rate. It was found that the optimal method produced solar energy system efficiencies that averaged 8.5% higher than those produced by the differential thermostat and 4.8% higher than the efficiencies produced by the proportional control.