| dc.description.abstract | Solar energy is a clean, renewable energy that is standing out on the world stage, especially in developed countries like Japan, Germany and USA. One of the applications in which the use of solar energy is currently growing is in domestic and industrial water heating. In the Brazilian view, there is an incentive from Governo Federal to research papers aiming the development of the low-cost technologies for the use of solar thermal energy in low income families, thus, there is a reduction in the electricity consumption. A solar water heating system is essentially composed of collector and thermal reservoir. Currently, these devices represent the two most of the costs involved in their use due to the fine materials and high-cost process that are employed in the manufacture of both these equipments such as steel, copper and aluminum. For the use of solar collectors is widespread and reach a market price compatible with the reality of low-income families is necessary that the cost of materials and manufacturing processes be reduced. The polymers are synthetic materials formed by large molecules that have specific technical characteristics and desirable for application in the construction of solar collectors, including easy molding, low weight and low cost. In order to assist in developing a low-cost technology and easy installation, this work presents the development and construction of a prototype solar collector using polymeric material to test the variables inherent in the use of this technology. This work makes a bibliographic study on the types of polymeric materials for possible application, as well as an analysis of appropriate geometries. Finally a simulation was performed using the computer program ESS in order to determine: thermal performance, geometry and proper materials. Based on the data generated by the program, was designed and built a prototype flat plate solar collector in polymeric material. Finally tests was performed at the Laboratory of the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS in order to determine the thermal performance of the collector. | en |
