본 실험연구에서는 탱크의 직경에 대한 높이의 비(H/D)가 3이고 유입 유량이 8LPM, 유입수의 온도와 기존 저장수와의 온도차, ${Delta}T=30^{circ}C$일때, 운동량교환을 최소화하여 가장 좋은 성층을 얻었고 또한 실험에서 사용한 유입구(Inlet Port)의 경우 수정 Richardson수(Modified Richardson Number), Ri가 0.004(Q=10LPM, ${Delta}T=30^{circ}C$) 이하의 값에서는 완전 혼합(Fully Mixing)이 발생하고 H/D가 작아질수록 혼합층의 두께($H^*/H$)가 증가하여 성층 축열에는 바람직하지 못하였다. 그리고 성층은 성층을 촉진시키기 위하여 Distributor를 사용했을 때가, Distributor를 사용하지 않은 유입구(Inlet Port)의 경우 보다 잘 형성되어 저장효율이 Distributor를 사용한 경우(Q=8LPM, ${Delta}T=30^{circ}C$, H/D=3)에 Distributor를 사용하지 않은 유입구(Inlet Port)의 최저효율 63%(Q=12LPM, ${Delta}T=30^{circ}C$, H/D=3인 경우)보다는 31% 정도, 최대효율 84%(Q=8LPM, ${Delta}T=30^{circ}C$, H/D=3인 경우)보다는 11% 정도 높은 95%까지 저장 효율을 증가시킬 수 있었다. 더 나아가서 단면이 균일한 원형 Distributor(A=D=Constant)의 경우에, 유량이 8LPM인 경우에 관내의 압력차가 작아 부분혼합(Partial Mixing)이 감소하여 안정된 성층을 얻을 수 있었다. 그리고, Distributor의 직경을 다음식과 같이 $$frac{D}{D_L}=(frac{x}{L})^{1/2}(1+frac{fL}{2D})-frac{fx}{2D_L}$$ 길이에 대하여 변화시켜 Distributor를 제작함으로써, 보다 안정된 열성층과 높은 열저장 효율을 얻을 수 있을 것으로 예상한다.
This paper deals with experimental research to increase thermal storage efficiency of hot water stored in an actual storage tank for solar application. The effect of increased energy input rate due to stratification has been discussed and illustrated through experimental data, which was taken by changing dynamic and geometric parameters. Ranges of the parameters were defined for flow rate, the ratio of diameter to height of the tank and inlet-exit water temperature difference. During the heat storage, when the flow was lower, the temperature difference was larger and the ratio of diameter to height of the tank was higher, the momentum exchange decreased. As for this experiment, when the flow rate was 8 liter/min, the temperature difference was $30^{circ}C$ and the ratio of diameter to height of the tank was 3, the momentum exchange was minimized resulting in a good thermocline and a stable stratification. In the case of using inlet ports, if the modified Richardson number was less than 0.004, full mixing occured and so unstable stratification occured, which mean that this could not be recommended as storage through thermal stratification. Using a distributor was better than using inlet ports to form a sharp thermocline and to enhance the stratification. It was possible to get storage efficiency of 95% by using the distributor, which was higher than a storage efficiency of 85% obtained by using inlet ports in same operation condition. Furthermore, if the distributor was manufactured so that the mainpipe decreases in diameter toward the dead end to maintain constant static pressure, it might be predicted that further stable stratification and higher storage efficiency are obtainable(ie:more than 95%).
