Experimental Investigation for the Solar Pond Performance with and Without Reflector Mirrors and Tracking System in Kerbela City of Iraq

Abstract

The solar pond is a one of applicationsused to store large amounts of the thermal energy depending on size and shapeofapplication. In this research, salinity graded solar pond wasmade using the sodium chloride salt with a concentration of 6.98%. The experiments were caried out with and withoutreflector mirrors and a solar tracking system to increase the concentration of solar rays on the surface of the pond. That was conducted in Iraq in Kerbela (32.55˚ N, 43.97˚ E). The useful energy and thermal efficiency are key factors are used to measure the performance of solar pond.The results indicated that the solar radiation can be obtained at about 1 p.m. This is for both systems with and without the reflector mirrors. The results also indicated that the maximum temperature of the lower zone of the pond with and without the mirrors and tracker are about 24 C˚ and 30 C^˚ respectively. Too it was concluded that using the reflecting mirrors alone improves thethermal energy,useful energy and thermal efficiency of the solar pond with 4.6%, 35.5% and 22.4%, respectively. Whereas, use of the mirrors and tracker together improves them with approximately23.8%, 51.7% and 44.7% respectively.