Year 3: Performance Comparison of Parabolic Solar Collectors Constructed of Recycled Materials to the Original Unit Evaluated During Year 1

Elizabeth L.
10th Grade, Melbourne Central Catholic, Melbourne Florida
Teacher: Monica Cengia

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Abstract: During the Year 1 study, the researcher determined that the y = 3/16 x 2 parabolic solar collector was the most effective curve among four other collectors. The researcher further investigated the y = 3/16 x 2 parabolic solar collector in the Year 2 study by determining the lengths of solar collectors needed to heat water to useful temperatures. The researcher built 18 feet of the y = 3/16 x 2 trough and found that every foot of trough heated about 5.55o F. The researcher determined that five, eight, and eleven feet would be needed to heat water to useful temperatures.

The materials to construct the Year 1 and Year 2 parabolic solar collectors were quite expensive. For the Year 3 study, the researcher decided to build the y = 3/16 x 2 collector out of recycled materials and compare results with the Year 1 study. The researcher built three y = 3/16 x 2 parabolic solar collectors constructed of different inexpensive reflective surfaces: foil tape, aluminum foil, and metallized chip bags. The researcher hypothesized that the metallized chip bag would produce the most heat and that the collectors constructed of recycled materials would produce less heat then the Year 1 collector. The experiment was performed on three different cloud-free days and consisted 17 different trials during various times of the Florida solar window. The foil tape collector produced the most heat (14,649 J). The parabolas constructed of recycled materials were less effective then the more costly parabola in the Year 1 study.