Performance Analysis of Solar Water Heating System Installed at Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
Abstract
Lack of reliable energy directly affects critical hospital operations such as sterilization, laundry, hygiene, and hot water supply, all of which are essential for patient care and infection control. Solar water heating system (SWHS) is a new initiative to close this energy gap. This paper presents a detailed performance analysis of a SWHS installed at the Federal Medical Center in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria (5.520N; 7.490 E). The system was installed from January 4, 2025, to March 24, 2025. The study evaluated critical parameters, including inlet and outlet water temperatures, solar irradiance, collector efficiency, heat loss, storage performance, and daily hot water demand fulfillment. Moreover, the influence of local climatic conditions, seasonal variability, system configuration, and user behavior on performance is analyzed to ensure a comprehensive understanding of system behavior in a real-world healthcare setting. The results showed that on a clear day, a thermosyphon solar water heater with a collector area of 3.4 m² and a storage capacity of 150 liters, performing at a collector efficiency of 60%, can deliver hot water of up to 80°C for domestic services.
Keywords
Solar water heating, Flat plate collector, Performance analysis
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