Thermal analysis of a domestic hot water heating system made with locally available materials.

Abstract

This work analyzes the thermal behavior of a solar thermal domestic hot water heating system built with affordable, easily available, and low-cost materials, aimed at rural and peri- urban areas in the north of Santa Fe. The system consists of a solar collector made up of a 25 m black polyethylene pipe coil (¾” diameter, k = 2.5), mounted on a wooden “Aztec pyramid”-type structure with a 1 m² wooden base, enclosed in a box covered with agricultural nylon to create a greenhouse effect. It includes a 100-liter plastic storage tank, thermally insulated with aluminized polyethylene foam and protected by a metal drum. The tank is positioned 60 cm above the collector, allowing natural thermosiphon circulation without the need for a pump. The proposed design seeks to facilitate access to domestic hot water through a simple and economical solution, both in materials and construction.