Abstract

This thesis presents the development of a Second Law model of a solar combisystem for residential applications. The work presented in the thesis includes: 1) A methodology for the development of a combisystem computer model; 2) The mathematical models of a solar combisystem components; 3) The features of an EES-based computer model of a solar combisystem being developed; 4) The simulated operation of a solar combisystem; and 5) The analysis of the performance of a simulated solar combisystem based on the Second Law of thermodynamics.
The solar combisystem had an annual system Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.98, an annual system exergetic COP of 0.17, an annual system energy efficiency of 42.0%, an annual system exergy efficiency of 40.7%, an annual overall solar energy contribution of 89.5%, an annual overall solar exergy contribution of 88.8%, an annual input solar energy contribution of 82.7%, and an annual input solar exergy contribution of 26.5%. Compared to an electric heating system, the solar combisystem had an annual solar energy fraction of 1.3 and an annual solar exergy fraction of 0.1.